


It Takes Two

by Chxxloey



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mpreg, Pain, Sort of break up
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-23
Updated: 2017-01-01
Packaged: 2018-07-16 18:06:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 30,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7278349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chxxloey/pseuds/Chxxloey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hinata Shouyou had always been one or ten steps behind his boyfriend, best friend, and partner, Kageyama Tobio. And having only Tobio be scouted and recruited by his dream university had been solid proof that yes, Shouyou was still not good enough and will always be behind Tobio. </p><p>But Shouyou accepts it, and puts on a brave face as he separates himself from the duo that was him and his partner, and steps into the adult life, where he'll have to struggle with his less-than-satisfactory grades, people who still look him down, and basically get knocked down ten steps every time he makes one, and he had to do all of that alone. The college and adult life was scary, but the one thing he wasn't expecting before he stepped into the chaos was...</p><p>... A baby.</p><p>18 and pregnant. </p><p>Shouyou had never thought he'd ever relate to that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Separation

**Author's Note:**

> I borrowed a few aspects from the Omegaverse; that males can get pregnant. Both males and females are born with wombs and ovaries, and most males have them removed once they're out of their mother's womb. However, some don't, and Hinata Shouyou is one of them. So basically, just accept that yeah, Hinata Shouyou can get pregnant.

“ _I love you_ ”.

 

That was the only sentence that continuously ran about the minds, and was spilled from between the lips of two 18-year-olds in the barren, box-filled room of a certain raven.

 

Kageyama Tobio and Hinata Shouyou were to leave and separate to two different colleges the very next day. Tobio, to Chuo University, in Tokyo, whereas Shouyou was accepted into Tohoku Fukushi University, in Sendai.

 

Their universities were far from the other, 365.2km to be exact, 4 hours and 17 minutes away via drive, and 2 hours and 30 minutes away if one were to consider the Shinkansen.

 

_365.2km_

 

Shouyou couldn’t pin-point exactly why he found it ironic that the number of kilometres that both him and his lover will be separated by for the upcoming four years was the exact same number as the number of days in a year.

 

He couldn’t.

 

But as much as he wanted to laugh, to poke his boyfriend of two and a half years on his nose and point out that _hey for every quarter of a kilometre we’re apart we won’t see each other for a day_ , Shouyou couldn’t.

 

Because this beautiful man, whose neck he was gripping, whose waist was enveloped by his own bony, thin legs, whose arms were encasing him, who was directing the most broken-hearted, yet most loving and affectionate gaze his way, was not only his _boyfriend_ , his _intended mate_ , his _intended husband_ , but he was Shouyou’s _partner_.

 

And to know that after this night, they won’t be _together_ -together anymore…

 

Well, _fuck_ , does it hurt.

* * *

Both Tobio and Shouyou had discussed, at the start of their third year, and had planned on going to the same university; Chuo. It was the one university that was known for having the most number of alumni members in the National volleyball team. Hence, logically, if they were to pursue their careers as volleyball players, Chuo University would be the number one choice for them as it will give them the highest possible chance to get scouted and put onto the national team.

 

_It was their dream_.

 

But on the day of their match against Nekoma, in the Tokyo arena, representing the Miyagi Prefecture, only Tobio was the one who was called to talk to the representative/scouter from Chuo University.

 

Not Shouyou.

 

And while it sucked, because _wow this was my dream,_ our _dream, yet only one of us made it through_ , it had Shouyou feeling like his heart got crushed for one other, significant, reason as well.

 

He just wasn’t good enough.

 

Tobio was still better than him.

 

Apparently three years, and a little bit of the previous, of _hard work, passion, dedication, determination,_ still wasn’t good enough.

 

_What has he been doing for the past three years?_

 

And at that moment, when Hinata had found Tobio engaged in a conversation with the formally dressed scouter, with his boyfriend nodding determinedly and firmly with every sentence that spilled past the scouter’s lips, with the scouter looking positively pleased and happy that Tobio was agreeing with everything, with the scouter handing The Kageyama Tobio a business card and parting ways after exchanging a hand shake, Shouyou felt empty.

 

At that moment, Shouyou knew that it would be most logical to feel either complete ecstasy, upon realising that _my boyfriend made it he’s going to the Olympics he’s going to represent Japan!_ , or complete and utter desolation and hopelessness, because _only my boyfriend made our dream_ , but all he could feel was this freezing, unsympathetic _thing_ that gripped his entire being, refusing to let him go, to let him _breathe_ and _move_ , away from this heart-breaking scene, from this painful realisation, and all he could do was stand, and watch.

 

Watch the delighted grin (a _really_ adorable one, at that) spread and plaster itself onto Tobio’s face. Watch as his boyfriend clenches his fist, but being mindful of the elegant business card held securely between his fingers. Watch as his boyfriend vibrates in place with joy.

 

And he deserved it, honestly.

 

_Tobio made it._

 

_Tobio_ did it.

 

And at that moment, Shouyou didn’t know how to feel about that.

* * *

The ride home from their final game as high schoolers was, frankly, awkward.

 

As soon as Tobio had stopped vibrating in place in the humid arena and actually paid attention to his surroundings, he had caught sight of Shouyou. His tiny boyfriend had been staring his way already, and amidst the high that Tobio was feeling, as well as the haze of pure happiness that clouded his vision, Tobio didn’t notice the wisps of utter despair and hurt that were slowly but steadily seeping into the pupils of Shouyou’s entire demeanour.

 

Tobio hadn’t seen any of that and immediately ran towards Shouyou, arms spread wide and grin making him look absolutely adorable, even though his sleek, black hair (which had grown out over the years and was now hanging low in front of his eyes) was messily matted down onto his face with perspiration.

 

_“I got in, Shou! I got in!”_

 

Those words were the same ones that Shouyou had wanted to be given the opportunity to shout at the end of the day. Those were the words that he wanted to be screaming into his boyfriend’s ears as they embraced, tears welling up in their eyes because _they did it_.

 

But he couldn’t.

 

And he wouldn’t.

 

And as much as Shouyou wanted to dip into the elation that Tobio was in, to celebrate with him and scream alongside him, because he was Tobio’s boyfriend and _my boyfriend did it!_ , he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Not as Tobio’s boyfriend, no, but as Hinata Shouyou, a member of Karasuno Boys’ Volleyball Team who had worked the past three years to overtake and champion over this person whose arms he was wrapped in, as Hinata Shouyou, a volleyball player whose dreams were achieved by the same person who had his arms around his own body.

 

It really, honestly, _sucked_.

 

“Shouyou?”

 

The faint whisper (or so it seemed) was what broke Hinata from his reverie, and he quickly shook his head to rid himself of all of those thoughts and to bask in the glory that was his boyfriend achieving his dream, Tobio achieving Tobio’s dream.

 

“Congratulations, Tobio! I’m so proud of yo-u!”

 

_Fuck. His voice cracked. Fuck._

 

A wrinkle formed between Tobio’s immaculate eyebrows as he began scrutinising the tiny middle blocker. “Shouyou?”

 

Hinata simply shook his head, proceeding to wrap his short arms around the neck of Tobio, yanking him down to his height so that Hinata would be able to hook his chin over his boyfriend’s shoulder. “I’m ju-st so happy for you!”

 

Tobio’s frown only deepened, and he hastily retreated from his boyfriend’s embrace to look him straight in the eye.

 

“Shouyou, we’ve been together for two years, and partners for three. I _know_ when something’s not right with you.” Tobio’s hands had shifted from resting on Shouyou’s waist to his hips, and he gripped them tightly as he quirked his head, coaxing Shouyou to spill.

 

At this point of time, the tears were welling up not unlike that of a water in a dam during a heavy storm, and Shouyou knew that if he didn’t at the _very least_ tell Tobio what was it that was making him so upset, he’ll lose it, right there, in the giant arena that was still bustling with people, young and old alike.

 

Shouyou slowly removed his arms from around Tobio’s neck and dug his fists into the fabric of his official team jersey, digging his teeth into the flesh of his lower lip as he tried, _so hard_ , to hold back the tears, to prevent them from falling.

 

And when the words fell past his lips, Shouyou couldn’t bear to look into those gorgeous, strikingly beautiful blue orbs that belonged to his boyfriend, because he _knew_ what was going to be reflected into his own; sorrow, despair, _pain_.

 

“I didn’t make it.”

 

What Shouyou didn’t expect was the tears to literally force themselves out from in between his eyelids, and not even a second after did a sob wrench its way from his throat.

 

Immediately, Shouyou covered his face with his palms as he hastily backed away from a stumped Tobio, not because he didn’t want to embarrass himself in front of Tobio or because he couldn’t bear Tobio seeing him like this, but because _he himself_ didn’t want to be around Tobio.

 

Not when Tobio had achieved the same dream that Shouyou had, the one which Shouyou couldn’t, didn’t, and wouldn’t achieve.

 

Being with Tobio then was just a solid, firm slap of the truth to his face, the truth that screams that _Hinata Shouyou is and always will be inferior to Kageyama Tobio._

 

And Shouyou hated it.

 

And he also hated how that was the second time that the both of them sat separately on the bus back to Miyagi.

* * *

That was three months ago, before the seniors had been advised to step down from club activities in order to focus on their studies as well as to prepare for their college entrance exams.

 

It has been a tough decision for Shouyou at that point of time; whether to continue playing the one thing that he loved nearly as much as he loved Tobio, or to focus on his studies because that was the only thing that he could rely on if he wanted to pursue his education.

 

The prospect of pursuing volleyball as a potential career, however, was painfully shoved back into the recesses of his mind, because Shouyou just couldn’t afford to think about professional volleyball. Not when he had his college entrance examinations to prepare for. Not when he had a lot to catch up on before he took the examinations.

 

And especially not when he didn’t get scouted.

 

So Shouyou studied. As impossible as it sounded, Shouyou focused all of his energy, especially the ones that he had reserved for volleyball for the past three years, into studying. He had gotten help from Hitoka (who was a potential candidate for valedictorian), and tried his hardest to bring his grades up from the bottom which they were at.

 

It was initially difficult at first, because he didn’t have any sort of motivation or _I have to do this if not I won’t be able to ______. Last time, the blank was either filled with ‘play volleyball’ or something Tobio related. But right now, neither of those two past answers helped in any way.

 

But Shouyou did it. Despite the circumstances, despite the odds and the failure, despite his relationships with both volleyball and Tobio, he did it.

 

And Hinata Shouyou got accepted into Tohoku Fukushi University, with his Bs and Cs.

 

And even though Shouyou couldn’t say that he had made it in regards to volleyball, he still had managed to say, when he had received his acceptance letter from the University, that _I made it_.

* * *

“I love you, Shouyou.”

 

Shouyou couldn’t help the tear that slipped past his controlled eyelids as he gazed back into those piercing sapphire eyes that were glazed over with longing but also, love.

 

The two had just finished their, probably, fourth of yet another emotionally intense round of love-making. The two of them had both been high strung throughout the entire week, in preparation for the graduation ceremony the day before, but mostly because the end of the week signified the ending of them as an ‘official’ couple.

 

Shouyou and Tobio had talked about how they were going to continue their relationship onwards, as students of different universities, as people that were 365.2km apart.

 

And they both had mutually agreed that a long distance relationship wouldn’t work, not with them as college students.

 

They had made that decision two months ago, a month after Tobio had been scouted and a month into Shouyou’s rush to study for his exams.

 

The entire month that passed after their final game as high school volleyball players was very… quiet. Shouyou wasn’t able to bring himself to talk to Tobio for the first week without having the reality of _he’s better than me, always have and always will be_ slap him right in the face, which usually results in Shouyou crying. Damn, Shouyou wasn’t even able to stand seeing Tobio for the first three days, let alone look him in the eye.

 

But Shouyou needed to not spend time with Tobio, and the both of them knew that. The both of them knew just _how_ _much_ Shouyou loved the sport and loved Tobio, and were also aware that Shouyou’s ultimate goal was to _surpass Kageyama Tobio_.

 

And Shouyou had been working hard for _three consecutive years_ , just to meet this specific goal.

 

The harsh reminder that Shouyou was still not good enough, that he had yet to achieve this specific goal, that he was still a step or ten behind Tobio, even after _all this time_ … It was difficult to take in.

 

And for Shouyou to actually overcome that, even by a tenth, within a week? Hats off to him.

 

Their relationship after that painful week, for both parties, slowly got better as they both realised that they wouldn’t be able to spend much time together as soon as they graduate.

 

Shouyou had managed to convince himself and push back the reality in regards to volleyball into the back of his mind, because _that’s not’s what important_.

 

What was important as of then was him getting to spend as much time has he could with his boyfriend before they had to separate and attend different universities in different regions, and only able to communicate via Skype, call, or text; no physical contact 24/7 for the next four years.

 

That realisation was what made the two of them accept the reality as it, and to move on and treasure the time they had left being glued to each other’s side 24/7.

 

And right now, in the dark room, illuminated solely by the light of the world behind the curtains, under the sheets that were stained with evidence of multiple sessions of love-making, both boys realised that _no we’re not ready to part and never will be_.

 

All four rounds had been filled with lots of tears, desperation, despair, and ironically, love. The vice grip small, tiny yet calloused hands had on broad shoulders and muscled biceps spoke volumes of their owner’s despair, as did the unforgiving grip large, tanned yet immaculate hands had on slender hips. The impossibly tight winding of slender legs around strong, thick hips as well as the ruthlessly hard, yet slow press of those same hips into their much smaller counterpart screamed out loud about how much both bodies did not want to separate.

 

But their eyes were able to be heard above all the other deafening cries.

 

The amount of anguish swimming about in honey brown orbs were reflected in the stormy blues of its counterpart. The volume of despair, desolation and pure unadulterated agony storming about in those honey brown eyes were reflected on their counterpart. Tears had more than once slipped past down long, brown-hued orange lashes, as did they past black ones.

 

Whispered declarations, which acted as reminders, of ‘I love you’s constantly slipped past trembling, heavily pigmented lips as they pressed against equally trembling, full, smaller, baby pink ones. Those three words were whispered back just as much, with each declaration ringing much louder with meaning and emotion than the previous.

 

The peak of every round ended in the harsh press of lips as Tobio pressed, harder and harder with each round, into Shouyou, and staying there till he had finished.

 

When they both had come down from their high, after their _n_ th round, the pair basked in each other’s presence; large, beady brown eyes gazing back into sleek, almond blue. A beefy, muscled arm was nested under the bright shock of orange, and its other pair was draped over a thin, slender waist. A skinny yet slightly muscled arm was draped over one of those broad, tanned shoulders as another tiny, small hand caressed the cheek of his taller and bigger boyfriend. Both pairs of legs were messily tangled together amidst the sheets.

 

The love that was radiating off of them was disgustingly overwhelming, but so was the pain. As tired as the two of them were, emotionally, physically and mentally, the pair couldn’t bring themselves to fall asleep, to miss a second of savouring the feeling that was being able to _hold him close_ , to be _physically present with him_.

 

And Shouyou couldn’t help the instinctive tightening of his hold on Tobio when the latter’s alarm rang, the alarm signalling both him and his boyfriend that he _has to leave to go to Tokyo for the next four years_.

 

Tobio had only sighed through his nose as he hugged Shouyou closer to his chest with the arm draped across his tiny boyfriend’s waist while the other reached out to stop the blaring alarm. The raven could feel wetness steadily growing on his clavicles, and he felt the steadily intensifying trembles wracking through his boyfriend’s much smaller frame.

 

Tobio couldn’t help the welling of his tears.

 

Shouyou didn’t want to let go.

 

Tobio didn’t want to let go.

 

They both just _weren’t ready_.

 

But fate always had other plans, the Godly being up there _always_ had other plans, and before long, the sympathetic yet firm voice of Kageyama’s mother echoed about the room.

 

“Tobio? You have to get ready now.” The latter sentence was said in a voice no louder than a whisper, because she herself knew what was going on; she herself knew the amount of pain the two boys were going through, she herself heard how much Shouyou had cried last night.

 

“… Okay.” Tobio’s gruff voice was laced with tiredness, but she could pick out the hints of distress that accompanied it.

 

She bit her lip as she muttered her acknowledgement before she left to prepare a hearty breakfast for the four of them.

 

“Shou—”

 

“This isn’t goodbye, okay?”

 

Tobio blinked, surprised by the firmness that coated each and every word that left those full lips. It took Tobio a while to process just exactly what his boyfriend, best friend, _partner_ had said, but once he did, he gave a tight squeeze as a reply and acknowledgement.

 

“Yeah, it’s see you later.”

 

The trembling grin that Tobio felt blossoming against his chest was not unlike the one plastered on his face.

 

Because this is _not_ and _never will be_ a ‘goodbye’; they are both inseparable, always together, an _item_. They themselves know it, everyone else knows it. They _can’t_ be separated. No matter the circumstance, they’ll always end up together again, regardless of the context, regardless of the time, regardless of _anything_.

 

And Tobio knew that, hey, _maybe the next four years won’t be so bad_.

 

And he knew that Shouyou did too.


	2. Realisation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He was only a freshman in college, an 18 year old fresh out of high school and who barely even started the new University semester; only a month and three weeks into the first semester of his first year. Even though it was just a step into the new college life, Shouyou was already struggling with his classes and his grades because studying had never been his strong point, and college is tough. He was also struggling to balance all of volleyball, academics and social life. He had qualified for the school team and training was hard. He has to balance three days of training a week with his heavy workload as an Early Childhood Education major, along with his social life and sleep. He was already sacrificing sleep as it is. However, yeah Shouyou himself would experience a lot of difficulty in the process of his pregnancy, but what about after? Shouyou didn’t have the funds to support a child! He couldn’t afford everything a child needs, much less what his child deserves.

**One Month Later…**

_Tohoku Fukushi University_.

It was located in Sendai, the capital city of Miyagi, and was an hour’s bicycle ride away from the Hinata household.

Shouyou’s mother, Hanan, had offered to help her son find an apartment which he could rent that was closer to his school, but Shouyou had refused and insisted that _it’s just double the amount of time I had to cycle to Karasuno, Kaa-san!_ And he also went on a tirade about how _this’ll help build up my stamina too!_

…Not that her son needed _more_ stamina, if you asked her.

Hanan had reluctantly agreed, but soon fell back into routine because if she were to be honest with herself, this really wasn’t that much different from when Shouyou was in high school.

And that includes making him his favourite breakfast in the mornings.

“Shouyou! Breakfast is ready!”

Her declaration was soon accompanied by the sound of scurrying footsteps down the hall, and as Shouyou got closer and closer to the kitchen, the smell of his favourite tamago kake gohan grew stronger and stronger., and hence this spurred on the growing grin on his face.

However, as soon as Shouyou was standing in the entryway of the kitchen, he couldn’t help the lurching of his stomach in his abdomen, because _when had my tamago kake gohan smelled this bad?_ Shouyou’s entire demeanor froze as the colour steadily drained from his voice, slowly replaced by a very tiny hint of green. His palms rushed to clamp his lips as he dashed to the restroom.

He was spewing all of his non-existent stomach contents into the toilet bowl before he knew it.

“Shouyou!” Hanan had, of course, been in the kitchen at that point of time, and had seen how her son’s facial expression changed within the span of three seconds. As soon as Shouyou was racing towards the toilet, Hanan had been too.

She gently rubbed soothing circles on his back, hoping to calm him down enough to not have him puke all over again.

But apparently, Hanan had expected a little bit much that morning as Shouyou quickly lurched and spewed another bout of stomach acid into the toilet bowl, and she couldn’t help the furrowing of her brows in confusion and worry.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart? Did you eat anything bad at school yesterday?” The soft voice of his mother, laced with worry and inquisitiveness, echoed about in the restroom. The feelings that accompanied his mother’s tone perfectly reflected his own, because he had done nothing out of the ordinary in school or when he was back home, and he told his mother as such.

“I’ll just take some medication, and I think I’ll be fine.” Hanan did not seem convinced, but she proceeded to get the said medication as well as a glass of water when Shouyou insisted that he was feeling better, and this left Shouyou alone in the bathroom, kneeling in front of the bowl for a while.

 _That’s weird_ , Shouyou couldn’t help thinking, because it _was_. He was known for his kick ass immune system as well as stamina, and he hadn’t experienced any sort of illness or feeling of nausea in _at least_ a year (asides from pre-volleyball match anxiety, because that didn’t count). So it _was_ weird when all out of the blue, Shouyou started to puke and vomit out his non-existent stomach contents.

And it was even worse when he had to attend his University’s Volleyball Team try-outs feeling this nauseous.

Volleyball.

Even though it had pained Shouyou immensely when he realised that he wasn’t scouted and basically was just not good enough yet as a player yet to think about pursuing the sport professionally, Shouyou still _loved_ volleyball.

It was the one thing he had left that he could feel connected to Tobio with, after all.

Even though it sucked knowing that he was still behind, it still meant that Shouyou was on the same road as Tobio was and is; Shouyou will still be able to reach Tobio, and consequently overtake him.

If he doesn’t give up now and continue pursuing volleyball, he’ll get closer to being with Tobio on the same, Olympic court.

As Japan representatives.

The thought that Shouyou would still be able to be with Tobio, that he _will_ be with Tobio after four years and maybe a few more, playing the sport that brought them together, playing the sport that gained them national fame through ‘The Oddball Duo’, playing the sport they both _loved_ , with the _person_ they both loved… That was what Shouyou wanted the most.

And he knew that Tobio did too.

So Shouyou was not going to disappoint, and will continue playing volleyball, because not only is he doing this for Tobio and their relationship and their mutual, shared, dream, but he is doing this for himself.

Because Hinata Shouyou does not never give up.

~ ~ ~

… _But his stomach might_.

Once again, Shouyou found himself knelt in front of a white, porcelain toilet bowl, just in a different bathroom altogether.

It was time for the Volleyball Team try-outs, but here Hinata Shouyou was, resident Little Giant 2.0, knelt in front of one of Tohoku Fukushi’s toilet bowls, puking out the two mouthful of plain rice from his breakfast’s tamago kake gohan, as well as the three crackers he had for lunch.

_What was wrong with him today?_

It was honestly _really_ weird, because he didn’t _eat_ anything out of the ordinary, he didn’t _do_ anything out of the ordinary, everything was _normal_.

 _Maybe it’s a stomach bug? Shinji-san_ was _having weird tummy stuff, maybe it’s airborne?_

At that point of time, it had seemed to be the most logical reasoning that Shouyou could come up with, because his classmate _had_ in fact been experiencing severe stomach issues throughout the day, and he had simply accepted it as it was and washed off before heading back into the institute’s gym.

 _It’ll go away in a few days,_ Shouyou remembered himself thinking as he made his way into the gym.

~ ~ ~

“Hinata… Shouyou?” a certain grey-haired third year member of the Tohoku Volleyball Club glanced back down at the rather thick stack of paper he held in his hands. Slightly droopy, brown eyes hardened in concentration as they once again scanned across the name of the freshman, and widened in realisation as soon as they processed the _very_ familiar name.

“Hinata!” Sugawara Koushi cried out into the bustling gym, head whipping about furiously as he searched about the gym for his previous team mate from his alma mater.

Koushi’s cry was responded by, of course, multiple pairs of eyes zoning in on him in confusion and bewilderment, because _why did you have to shout out a name like that person just died or something_ , and confused glances and questions being thrown in his direction from his fellow club members. However, the one response that Koushi was expecting but not really, was a confused “Suga-san?” meekly whispered in that same high-pitched, could-pass-for-a-girl-with-a- _tiny­_ -bit-more-effort squeak.

Koushi immediately zeroed in on the tiny redhead who was currently standing on the bleachers where all the other freshmen who were present for try-outs were seated at.

“Suga-san!” the delighted cry prompted a grin to blossom itself on Koushi’s face, and Koushi quickly passed the list of freshmen names into the hands of the closest other third year who was overseeing the try-out sessions, leaving with a quick “I’ll be right back”.

“Hinata!”

“Suga-san!”

Both of them exclaim simultaneously as Koushi approached the bleachers at the same time Shouyou ran down them. They met in the middle and greeted each other with a hug first, both squeezing tight because, after all, they _were_ a family.

The both of them separated and let go simultaneously, matching grins on their faces.

“I didn’t know you’re attending Tohoku! I thought you were going to Chuo?” The last question was said in a light tone, a simple, curious question that held no malice or intentional hurt behind it. So that’s why Koushi was surprised when he caught sight of how Shouyou’s grin had faltered.

 _Something must have happened_.

“Ah… Um, fate had other plans, Suga-san.” Shouyou had ended off his reply with a light-hearted laugh that was _painfully_ transparent; anyone could see the twinges of raw pain that Shouyou was trying to mask.

Koushi _knew_ Shouyou, they had been close, not only as team members in the same volleyball team, but as friends and people they can go to when they did advice. Shouyou had always gone to Koushi whenever he needed advice as well as a confidant, and Shouyou _trusts_ his ex- and well as current senpai.

Hence why Koushi didn’t push, because he knew that if Shouyou needed or wanted to tell him anything, he would do it at his own time and pace. Koushi also knew that if Shouyou were forced or pushed into a situation he didn’t want to be in or was not ready for, he’d lock up and freeze, and completely shut people out.

Koushi didn’t want that, and moreover, the current third year trusts Shouyou, both then and now.

So he’ll wait. Koushi will wait till Shouyou is ready to tell him.

Koushi didn’t mention the way Shouyou’s entire frame seized up as soon as he asked his question. Koushi didn’t point out the diming of Shouyou’s eyes and the paling of his face as soon as he asked his question. Koushi also didn’t mention the way Shouyou started to subtly grasp onto the fabric of his training jersey, fingers twisting and knotting themselves in nervous anxiety within the cotton.

But he did take note of all of it, and stored it in the back of his mind, as background knowledge for when Shouyou decided to talk to him.

“Okay, but remember that I’m always here, okay?” Koushi placed a comforting hand on the small shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. He was given a genuine, soft smile in return, and that spoke wonders for the tiny boy even though he had remained silent, and had given Koushi all the reassurance that he needed.

The smile said that _yes, I know, and yes, I still trust you_.

~ ~ ~

Wrenching sounds rang about in the empty toilet of one of the many buildings littered about the Tohoku Fukushi University campus.

It had been three weeks since the first time he threw up for no apparent reason.

He had been throwing up every single morning, and occasionally the afternoon, ever since then.

Shouyou knew he should have started panicking and you know, _paid the doctor a visit_ , a good two weeks ago. Shouyou _knew_ he should have sought medical attention because _this_ wasn’t _normal_ ; puking every single morning and sometimes even in the afternoon when he never did anything out of the ordinary (basically never doing anything different as compared to the past three years of his life).

But Shouyou was _scared_.

The thought of going to the doctor alone and figuring out what was wrong made him freeze up in place.

It frightened him. It terrified, _petrified_ him.

Because, subconsciously, Shouyou _knew_ the cause.

Shouyou _knew why_ his body was acting this way.

It wasn’t anything solid; there wasn’t any solid evidence that yeah, his theory is true, but it was his gut feeling. And the one thing that Shouyou had learnt throughout his past experiences the past 17-going-on-18 years of his life, was that his _gut instinct was always right_.

He was pregnant.

With Tobio’s child.

The constant vomiting and puking in the mornings = _morning sickness_.

Him not being able to stomach most, and also, his _favourite_ food = _expected of most pregnant people_.

 _Him missing his period_ = Pregnant.

The last one was a no-brainer.

And sure, yeah, all signs pointed to him being pregnant but _Shouyou wasn’t ready_.

He was only a freshman in college, an 18 year old fresh out of high school and who _barely_ even started the new University semester; only a month and three weeks into the first semester of his first year. Even though it was just a step into the new college life, Shouyou was already struggling with his classes and his grades because studying had never been his strong point, and _college is tough_. He was also struggling to balance all of volleyball, academics and social life. He had qualified for the school team and training was _hard_. He has to balance three days of training a week with his _heavy_ workload as an Early Childhood Education major, along with his social life and _sleep_. He was already sacrificing sleep as it is. However, yeah Shouyou himself would experience a lot of difficulty in the process of his pregnancy, but what about _after?_ Shouyou didn’t have the funds to support a child! He couldn’t afford everything a child needs, much less what his child _deserves_.

Shouyou didn’t want to bring a child into this ugly world when he _knows_ that it’ll suffer along with him.

His child deserved better than that.

 _Tobio’s_ child deserved better than that.

And that was why Shouyou didn’t and doesn’t want to pay a visit to the doctor, because right now, all of his fears are built on “unreliable” information. Him going to the doctor, and having them _confirm_ his pregnancy would only aid in the solidifying of his fears and his worries, and this will all serve to put Shouyou under massive amounts of _even more_ stress.

… and Shouyou just _isn’t_ ready to face that.

Not now, and possibly not ever.

~ ~ ~

“Everyone, huddle up!” The fourth year captain’s booming voice rang over the din of what was an everyday college sports’ team’s training session. As soon as everyone heard the call, all the boys present in the gym quickly made their way towards the front of the spacious hall, where the coach as well as his assistant were seated, ready to sum up that day’s training session before dismissing everyone for home.

As soon as everyone was seated, the captain immediately did a head count.

And apparently, they were missing a person.

Sugawara Koushi was amidst the group of men, and he quickly scanned the thirty or so faces that were all around him.

He couldn’t find Shouyou’s.

“Captain-san! It’s Hinata-kun, he told me he had to go to the toilet about five minutes ago; tummy ache,” one of the freshmen called out sheepishly.

However, Koushi didn’t believe that Shouyou had left so abruptly simply because of a tummy ache, and moreover, Shouyou only had tummy aches whenever he had pre-game anxiety or was nervous for whatever reason.

A debrief session was nothing to fear, _right?_

~ ~ ~

As soon as the debrief session ended, Koushi quickly scampered off to the club room to grab both his and Shouyou’s bags before running off towards the gym’s adjacent expansive restroom.

As soon as Koushi slowly opened the door, he was greeted by sobs.

Soft, high-pitched, and _intense_.

What pained Koushi was that the sobs were the same ones he heard back when he graduated from Karasuno, from a tiny middle blocker who, at that point in time, was pressed up against the front of Koushi’s graduation gown, round face buried in the silk as its owner tried his hardest to _not_ cry.

Koushi immediately started his search for the cubicle Shouyou was in, using his heart-wrenching sobs as a guide to his location.

And it wasn’t difficult.

Once he found the sole, _only_ locked and used cubicle, Koushi shut his eyes in a futile yet equally, if not more so, desperate attempt to block out those utterly _heart-breaking_ sobs and whimpers that rang louder than before.

He _hated_ knowing that Shouyou was in pain.

As Koushi stood in front of the closed door of the cubicle, fist raised, ears being hammered with sob after sob _after sob_ , sobs which were accompanied by _terribly_ obvious traces of _pain_ , of _agony_ , his heart completely seized in both worry and grief. 

“Hinata?”

Silence. The sobs halted.

“… Hinata?” A softer call.

The desperate attempts at stifling his sobs were audible through the ones that escaped his lips.

“Shouyou, _please_ ,” at that moment, Koushi couldn’t help the prickling sensation at the backs of his eyes; he could feel the welling of tears and he tried in vain to blink those tears back because _no I can’t break down in front of Shouyou_.

Koushi heard the shuffling of clothes, and a moment later the cubicle door creaked open.

… to reveal a collapsed Hinata, eyes red-rimmed and bloodshot, tear tracks staining his full, round, pink cheeks, his small, button nose red and scrunched up, lips trembling in the harsh grip Shouyou’s teeth had on them, back hunched over, arms wrapped around his abdomen.

It was such a _heart-breaking_ sight that Koushi couldn’t help the biting of his lower lip as a tear slipped past his desperately controlled eyelids.

“… _Suga-san…”_

Koushi immediately rushed forward and knelt in front of the tiny redhead, pulling him towards his own chest as he let out a sob of his own, pressing his face against Shouyou’s neck as he combed a hand through the fiery mess of orange, wanting nothing more than for the boy in his arms to stop crying because _Shouyou should never cry_.

“Suga-san, _please_ … _I don’t know what to do_ …”

Koushi clenched his eyes shut even tighter, vainly attempting to push the tears back and reign in his own cries that were threatening to spill and wreak havoc.

“It’s okay, I’m here, okay? _I’m here_.”

That was all it took for Shouyou to let out a louder cry as he began to spill everything out into the empty boys restroom of the Tohoku Fukushi University gym.

“… I… I-I’m _pregnant_ , Suga-san…” The last syllable broke off into a series of even louder cries, sobs and whimpers that were laced with _sorrow_ and _desperation_ , and Shouyou immediately clung tighter to Koushi as he buried his face in his senpai’s neck, staining and wetting the collar of the senior’s training jersey as he cried his heart out.

As soon as the words were out, Shouyou felt, more than saw, the way Koushi’s body had seized up, froze in place, to which Shouyou responded by gripping even tighter onto the off-white shirt draped across the larger’s torso, afraid that Koushi will _leave_ and _not be there for him anymore_ , even though he knew that that would never happen.

“… You’re pregnant?” the question was said so softly, that Shouyou would most definitely have missed it if he had not been pressed up against Koushi’s chest.

Shouyou pressed his eyelids tighter together as his fingers twisted about in the fabric of Koushi’s top. “… I-I—it’s no-ot—I just k- _know_ it… I-I’m _scar-ed_ …”

Shouyou heard the shaky breath that Koushi had taken in, and as soon as he felt his senpai’s arms de-winding from his waist, he begun to panic. Shouyou immediately tightened his already constricting hold on Koushi and twisted the fabric of his clothes even tighter around in fingers.

“No, no, _please_ , _don’t go, don’t leave me, I-I don’t know w-what to d-o, ple—”_

“Calm down, Shouyou, I’m not going anywhere. I’m here. I’ll _always_ be here, okay?” Koushi had whispered the last two sentences out, but they were loud with determination and reassurance. Koushi continued to whisper words of encouragement as well as reassurance as Shouyou slowly started to pull away from the tight hug that he gave Koushi; his fingers loosened themselves but still, subtly holding onto the fabric the further and further he pulled away. His entire frame was trembling the entire time he was separating himself, in fear of Koushi up and leaving, even though Koushi had been reassuring him the entire time that _I’m here, and I won’t leave, Shouyou_.

It was only when Shouyou pulled away completely, yet still holding onto Koushi’s hand, and saw Koushi’s gentle smile as Koushi squeezed his tiny hand back did Shouyou breathe a sigh of relief, because _Suga-san is here and he didn’t leave_.

Koushi continued to smile as he brought his free hand to wipe up the tears that were still falling from those honey brown orbs, before gently rubbing away the tear tracks that traced both cheeks. Koushi felt Shouyou start to relax the gentler and more caressing Koushi’s touch got, and Koushi slid his hand back into Shouyou’s hair, carding through the strands of loud orange, not stopping until he knew that Shouyou was _okay_.

“I’m here.”

A squeeze to his own, smaller hand, and Shouyou couldn’t help the wobble of his lips as he gently squeezed back.

“… Okay, so… You’re… pregnant?” Koushi quirked his head to the side a tiny bit, but his tone held no animosity or signs of deration. He was simply attempting to confirm whether what Shouyou had said was true.

During the time Koushi was voicing his question, he watched as Shouyou’s entire demeanor slowly slipped from the relaxed, reassured one to more tense, with anxiety and a slight hint of fear.

Koushi gently squeezed the tiny one resting within his palm, hoping to get it through to Shouyou that _it’s okay, I’m still here, calm down_ , and Koushi could tell that it worked, that his words had gotten through, as Shouyou had slowly loosened up once again as he breathed out a sigh, releasing his tension.

“I… I _know_ that I’m pregnant. I just—I’ve been vomiting every morning and sometimes in the afternoon for the past, like, three weeks. A-and I puke at the smell of tamago kake gohan. And I-I’ve been more tired recently even though I never do anything tiring. And I _missed my period_ … I just—I just _know_ it. I can feel it in my tummy, Suga-san. I just— _I don’t know what to do_.”

Shouyou had been dissolved into a nervous wreck as soon as he ended his rant, and Koushi quickly proceeded to grab both of those tiny hands separately with his own, rubbing calm, gentle, soothing circles against the soft skin of Shouyou’s hands.

“… Have you taken a test yet?” Koushi’s question was said in a voice no louder than a whisper.

It was responded with a shameful trapping of Shouyou’s lower lip behind his teeth as he subtly, yet shamefully shook his head, ‘no’.

Koushi breathed in a much needed breath before speaking. “… I have some male pregnancy test kits back in the apartment.” –Shouyou seized up here, and Koushi quickly hushed him down with quiet reassurances—“We don’t know _for sure_ yet, Shouyou. I know you’re scared, but I’ll be with you, okay? _I won’t ever leave you_.”

Shouyou was still very much apprehensive and _scared_.

But he knew that he had to do it.

Right now, everything was frazzled and messy, because Shouyou didn’t have a _solid_ foundation or evidence that he could rely and fall back on. He knows that if he doesn’t confirm it now, and the probable reality doesn’t sink in right _now_ , he wouldn’t be ready to face the road up ahead. He knows that if he doesn’t confirm his instinctual hypothesis right _now_ , he wouldn’t be ready to take on the challenges that lie ahead.

He _needs_ to do it.

But, at the same time…

… Shouyou’s _terrified_.

Because he _isn’t_ ready to face the road that lies ahead as a result of being pregnant.

Because he _isn’t_ ready to take on the challenges that lie ahead as a result of being pregnant.

He just _isn’t_ ready.

“I can hear you thinking.” Koushi’s off-hand remark broke Shouyou from his panicked musings, but he was very thankful because it had been a painfully _familiar_ remark that Karasuno’s Sugawara Koushi was famous for.

And it helped Shouyou calm down because _yeah, Suga-san is here_.

A sigh. “I’ll be with you, okay? I _know_ that it’s going to be hard _if_ it turns out to be positive, but _I’ll be with you_ , _every step of the way_ , okay?” Koushi tightened his hold on both of Shouyou’s hands as his lips quirked up in his trademark gentle smile.

Shouyou gave a quick exhale as he gripped the larger hands tighter.

“Yeah, okay, let’s do it.”

~ ~ ~

After university, both Koushi and Daichi had mutually agreed to rent an apartment together, since not only were they both going to be attending the same university (Daichi’s majoring in Chemical Engineering and Koushi in Psychology), and, of course, with them still being a couple, it was pretty much a no-brainer decision.

The apartment was in a pretty well-off part of Tohoku city, and was basically an apartment of convenience; the local organic supermarket was a ten minute walk away, the shopping mall was a block’s walk from there, the gym, track and swimming pool, along with all the other relevant sport courts and playing field (all combined together in a building known as the Tohoku Sports Complex) was a 15-minute run away. To top it all off, it was a 10 minute walk from Tohoku Fukushi University.

Basically, it was the perfect apartment.

Moreover, as soon as they picked out this apartment, Koushi had gotten to work on the refurbishing of the plain, white-walled, three-bedroom apartment. Both Daichi and him had mutually agreed to convert one room into a study, and another into a guest room, and the last of which they would share as _their_ bedroom. The kitchen, dining area and living room were all also generously spacious, and the couple couldn’t be happier.

They furnished it _beautifully_.

But their parents chipped in, of course… The Sugawaras had been insistent on paying for their apartment as well as its furnishings, because _it’s our baby’s first apartment_.

Daichi didn’t let Koushi live it down for _at least_ a month.

Right now, Koushi was seated on the couch with his cup of hot tea clasped in his hand as he held Shouyou’s smaller hand in the other.

The timer flashing brightly on Shouyou’s phone, which was lying innocently on the low coffee table was on the receiving end of Shouyou’s anxious stares.

**00:01:27**

Koushi desperately tried to calm Shouyou down, his thumb rubbing insistent, slow, soothing circles on Shouyou’s soft skin, occasionally brushing over his knuckles.

But to no avail.

Shouyou was _scared_.

He was _scared_ of the result. He was _scared_ of it turning out to be _positive_. He was scared of carrying a _baby_ , a baby that was both his own and _Tobio’s_.

He was scared of telling Tobio.

**00:00:59**

He knew what was at stake. Not for him, no, he knew that _days_ ago, back when he was in front of one of the toilets back in his University. He knew why _he_ _himself_ couldn’t afford to have a kid.

But it was only minutes ago did he realise what was at stake for _Tobio_.

Kageyama Tobio was all the way in _Tokyo_ , a city that was a 4 hour and 17 minute drive away from Sendai, attending Chuo University, after having been _scouted_ by a representative of both Chuo University as well as the _Japan Men’s Volleyball National Team_ , on a _Sports Scholarship_ that will pay for both his tuition as well as relating volleyball fees, _provided he keep his grades and skills up_.

Tobio couldn’t afford to give all of that up for a child.

Shouyou wouldn’t let him.

Tobio had too much to live for; he was a budding 18-year-old bursting with talent and potential, a candidate who had been chosen and had played for Japan in the Under-19s category. Tobio had not only taken over a whole page in a multitude of sports magazines in Japan, but some in international magazines as well.

Tobio was well on his way to playing for Japan on the National Men’s Volleyball Team.

The one which will be attending the Olympics.

… And Shouyou didn’t want to take it all away.

Shouyou would _never_ allow Tobio to give up all of that, to _give up his dream_ , for Shouyou’s sake.

He would _hate_ himself if he did.

“—you? Shouyou?” Koushi’s quietly insistent voice broke through his thoughts, and he jerked away as if scalded as he gazed questioningly into brown eyes a couple of shades darker than his own, eyes which reflected worried confusion and anxious curiosity.

“… The three minutes are up.”

Shouyou’s breath hitched as he immediately stilled.

Koushi quickly proceeded to pull Shouyou into his chest (he had put his cup down in the middle of that minute and 27 seconds), and started combing his hand through the mop of wild orange as he felt just _how_ stiff and tense Shouyou’s small frame became in a matter of seconds.

“It’s going to be okay, Shouyou. I’m here. I’ll always be here.”

Koushi felt the grip Shouyou had on his shirt loosen as soon as he whispered those words out, and he continued to do so until he felt Shouyou relax _enough_ and was simply holding him in a need for a form of grounding and reassurance.

Shouyou shakily let out a breath as he braced himself to let go of Koushi, as he got up from the couch and proceeded to make his way towards the bathroom.

He knew that he needed to do this.

He needed to know.

For his _own_ sake.

And as Shouyou stepped into the bathroom, towards the sink, and flipped the stick over, face up, no one could blame him when he immediately collapsed onto the tiled floor, vision blurry with tears as the image of the tiny window and its result burned into and retained itself in his mind.

A plus.

_Positive._

_Pregnant._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the second chapter!! I'll be updating the story bi-weekly, so basically every two weeks! However, please be aware that i might skip a day or two, because the second half of my school semester is starting soon and it's going to be hectic! 
> 
> Please do write to me in the comments down below whether you have enjoyed this chapter or not, and if you didn't, why and what i could do to improve my writing! Moreover, if you have spotted any errors, please do let me know! Constructive criticism is very much appreciated! :)


	3. Determination

_Pregnant_.

_He’s pregnant._

_He was barely 18 and he’s pregnant._

Shouyou wasn’t even aware of the panicked voices ringing and echoing about the bathroom as much as he was unaware of the convulsing sobs that were being wrenched form his throat and wrecking his body.

Shouyou wasn’t able to register the pair of gentle arms that were hooking him from under his arms and pulling him into an embrace. He couldn’t process the slightly calloused hand that was combing through the fiery mop on his head, and the other one rubbing large, soothing circles on his back. He couldn’t understand the soft reassurances that were whispered into his ear.

Shouyou felt… _lost_.

He felt like his entire head was floating a good three yards away from his body. So many thoughts were running through his head, the words screaming, ear-splittingly loud, running around, bouncing off and racing past again, _deafeningly bright_.

  1. _Male. Pegnant. Freshman. Money. College. School. Volleyball._



_… Alone_

All of these words, these numbers, flashed about in Shouyou’s mind, at a speed so fast that they all soon muddled up together in one giant blob that Shouyou himself couldn’t decipher.

The blob continue to grow, and grow, and _grow_ , until it was the only thing Shouyou could think of, until it was the only thing Shouyou could see, could hear.

He wasn’t even aware of the moment when he had curled in on himself and wailed, tears cascading down his face, arms curling protectively over his shoulders, hands gripping tightly onto the sides of his face.

The only thing he was aware of was that he _couldn’t have a baby_.

Shouyou blacked out.

~ ~ ~

The first thing that Shouyou registered as soon as he came to was the terrible pounding in his head. 

And boy, did it _hurt_.

Shouyou immediately pressed a small palm against the side of his head, progressively starting to massage it in the gentlest way possible, before he felt another, larger hand come up to join the other, calloused palm placed right over his own.

Shouyou eyes, which were closed in pain, flickered open, gaze now hazed over in as much confusion as pain, before shifting towards where another body was sat on the same white couch.

 _Suga-san_.

And everything came flooding back.

Koushi must have saw how his eyes had held a hint of recognition before it was overtaken completely by panic, fear, and hopelessness, because his own pair of soft brown orbs instantly widened open in shock as well as panic.

Koushi immediately gathered the panicking boy up in his arm, long limbs toned with muscle wrapped around the smaller boy’s waist as another curled around his shoulder blades, pulling him towards his own chest. As soon as Koushi had Shouyou straddled across his lap, short limbs splayed on either side of his hips, small hands braced on Koushi’s chest, back hunched over, Koushi immediately slid one hand into the loud, orange strands, carefully tilting Shouyou’s head to have it against his shoulder, whilst the other began rubbing smooth, calming circles on the smaller’s back.

“ _Suga-san… I-I can’t have a_ b-b- _baby_ …” The declaration was followed with a string of ‘I can’t’s, and they were spilling out from Shouyou’s lips almost like a mantra, the words interrupted by the frequent sobs, whimpers and hiccups, mingling and overlapping each other until all Koushi could hear was unintelligible cries and mumbles.

Koushi immediately started whispering words of reassurance, in a desperate attempt to calm the crying boy in his arms.

“Calm down, Shouyou. Breathe, okay, you’re okay, _breathe_ …” They continued on like that for as long as Shouyou took to calm down from his ruthless and raucous sobbing. Koushi held Shouyou in his arms, hands smoothing over the smaller one’s back whilst the other tangled itself among the orange strands, mouth pressed against the shell of Shouyou’s ear as Koushi continued to murmur words of comfort and reassurance, almost as if it were a mantra.

Koushi’s desperate efforts were fruitful as later onwards, Shouyou had calmed down enough to only be sniffling whilst letting out the occasional mumble of ‘I can’t’.

Koushi slowly held onto the small shoulders and began to push Shouyou away from himself, so that he’ll be able to look into Shouyou’s eyes before he said anything else. Shouyou’s body, limp from exhaustion and absentmindedness, had abided without any restraint.

“Shouyou, Shouyou look at me.” Koushi gripped harder onto the boy’s shoulders. Shouyou’s gaze, which had initially been clouded over in anguish, hopelessness, and devastation, had slowly but steadily started to clear up to be replaced with awareness, and it was only then, when Koushi had this gaze focused on him, that he proceeded.

After giving one, assuring squeeze onto the tiny one’s hunched shoulders, Koushi looked straight into Shouyou’s eyes, as he spoke, in a voice no louder than a whisper, that _we’ll figure something out_.

Shouyou had simply nodded, through misty eyes, as he clutched, desperately, onto the hands on his shoulders.

~ ~ ~

“… Do you _want_ the baby, Shouyou?”

The two of them had manoeuvred over to the long couch pressed up against one of the walls of the living room, matching cups of freshly brewed tea in their hands.

After that painful recollection and realisation that _yes, I am indeed pregnant with Tobio’s child_ , Shouyou had been pushed onto a seating position on the couch, after which Koushi had graciously offered a white, fluffy blanket. Shouyou had accepted and immediately draped it across his own shoulders.

Right now, seated across from Koushi, enveloped in a blanket reeking of the smell of _comfort_ , one hand holding onto the larger one of his most trusted person (asides from Tobio, of course), Shouyou knew that he had to face all of his fears; he realised that he had to come to terms with the fact that he had a child in him, one that belonged to both _him_ and _Tobio_.

A child that was both his own and his _partner’s_ , the one person he loved the most in the world.

And it was with that reasoning alone did Shouyou made and finalised his decision that _yes, I_ want _this child_.

With his grip on both Koushi’s hand and the mug tightening, Shouyou nodded, as minutely as possible, the exact same time he whispered out ‘Yes’.

Shouyou had felt Koushi tense up in place via where their hands were linked, and even though it was not much of a response, Shouyou couldn’t help the way he burrowed his head into his brought-up knees, shoulders hunching around his ears as his body curled in on itself.

He _knew_ he was going to get a reality _slap_.

Shouyou heard a soft sigh escape Koushi, and he immediately scrunched his eyes tighter as he buried his face into his kneecaps, teeth digging into the soft flesh of his lips as he braced himself for… whatever it was that Koushi was going to tell him.

Shouyou heard the distinct sound of porcelain meeting glass, and Shouyou realised that Koushi had placed his own mug down onto the glass coffee table. Not long after, Shouyou felt his own mug being pried open from the precarious hold it was in from his own, small hand, before it was placed down on the table, next to its replica.

Shouyou’s free hand, which had been hanging limply in the air, started to close up in a vain attempt to hold onto something. However, before Shouyou could do that, he felt his hand being lightly, and gently cradled in a larger one, before being completely engulfed in the larger, calloused palm.

“Shouyou?”

Koushi’s quiet call resulted in nothing but the smaller hunching in on himself more, the tiny frame growing more tense and stiff.

“Shouyou, _please_.” And that was all it took for the misty, honey-brown gaze to meet his own darker brown, calm, comforting one. Koushi immediately started rubbing soothing circles into the soft skin of Shouyou’s hands with his thumbs the more he noticed how Shouyou’s eyes grew steadily more glazed over.

“No more tears, okay?” Ironically, Koushi’s plea was met with the slipping of a tear past large, doe eyes before it was hastily wiped off with a small hand. Shouyou had immediately proceeded to wipe his eyes clear of any tears before nodding his head vigorously, slipping his petite hands back into the more graceful hands of his senior.

“Yeah, no more tears,” Shouyou let slip a tiny, smile as he lightly squeezed Koushi’s hands.

Koushi simply smiled back and reciprocated the squeeze, before he let out a short, sharp sigh.

“Shouyou, you _know_ what’s at stake, right? If you were to continue on with the pregnancy?” Koushi’s question had been simply inquisitive, wanting to know the answer to a question that the both of them already knew, that _yes, Shouyou did know what was at stake_ , and Shouyou replied as such.

Shouyou breathed in a quick inhale before exhaling it all out, the entirety of his tiny frame deflating within the short span of two seconds before he went on to explain himself.

“I… It’s just—this baby, it’s _mine and Tobio’s_. I just—it’s the only _solid_ thing I have left of him… Of _us_ … Sure, our break up wasn’t official or anything, I honestly don’t even know if we’re like _together_ -together anymore or if we ever will be again, and I… I just—

… I _love_ him, Suga-san… I still do… And just, I— _please_ , _I want to keep it_.”

 “…Do you want to tell him?”

Shouyou froze.

And Koushi knew that the answer was going to a negative.

Immediately, Koushi gripped harder onto the tiny hands as he explained his standing. “Shouyou, Tobio _deserves_ to know. He’s the _father_ —”

“ _That’s why he can’t know!_ ”

Shouyou’s outburst had startled them both, because immediately Koushi jerked back, grip on the smaller one’s hands loosening, as his face contorted into one of shock and confusion. The younger himself seemed taken aback, before his words caught up to him. Shouyou immediately darted his eyes away from the gaze that his senior had him locked in, teeth digging into the plump flesh of his lower lip as his eyebrows furrowed in uncertainty.

“Tobio… is in Tokyo. He’s on a full sports scholarship that will help him pay for his tuition and volleyball fees. And… he’s a potential candidate for the National team, the Japan Men’s Volleyball National Team that will be going to the Olympics, Suga-san.

“…It’s been Tobio’s dream since _forever_ to play on the National Team, to play at the _Olympics_. And he’s _so close_ to be able to. He’ll be able to _achieve his dream_.

“…And I don’t want to be the person who takes it all away. I-I _can’t_ do it, I’ll _hate_ myself if I’m the one who is responsible for not letting Tobio get what he has wanted his _whole life_ , his _dream_. _I can’t, Suga-san, Tobio deserves it_.”

By the end of it all, Shouyou was clutching desperately onto Koushi’s hands, doe eyes wide, glazed over in desparation, practically begging him to understand Shouyou’s reasoning via the tight grip the smaller had on his own pair of hands and the gaze boring into his own.

But honestly, Shouyou didn’t even had to _try_ to get Koushi to understand why he didn’t want to let Tobio know, because they _both_ knew that Tobio would give _all_ of it up to help Shouyou with their child.

Koushi’s eyebrows were furrowed in conflict, but after processing everything that Shouyou told him, about how he was feeling and about his views on this child; the same child that both Tobio and him had created, _creating_ , about how he didn’t want to tell Tobio, and also about how Shouyou _loved_ Tobio…

“…You really love him, huh.” The sentences uttered by Koushi had been more of a statement than a question as Koushi peered directly into Shouyou’s eyes, picking out the emotions swirling about swiftly in those honey brown eyes.

_Desperation. Anxiety. Devastation._

_Love._

“…More than _anything_ in the world.”

And Koushi knew that it would be hard for him to change the mind of his junior, because Shouyou would be adamant and stubborn in keeping the child, as well as in keeping it a secret from Tobio.

Not that Koushi would be cruel enough to get Shouyou to give it up or force him to, mind you.

…But Koushi _knew_ that he had to lay out everything that was, that _will be_ , on Shouyou’s plate if he were to keep the baby. Yeah, sure, Shouyou already knew, but Koushi knew that Shouyou wouldn’t have thought as far ahead or as in-depth as he should have, because _Shouyou is a pregnant 18 year old male who is going to be a single parent during his freshman year in college itself._

And Koushi had taken it up as a responsibility to help and show Shouyou _everything_ that he will have to take on from here on out.

The older exhaled a sharp sigh before gently squeezing the small hands that were gripping tightly onto his own.

“…Shouyou, I’m going to be very blunt from now onwards, okay?” Koushi waited patiently for Shouyou to breathe out and nod before giving a tight squeeze to his hands, as a form of reassurance and encouragement.

“Firstly, your education. You’re not going to be able to ride your bike in the next few months, you’ll be too big and you cannot afford to overexert yourself when you’re carrying. You’ll risk a chance of a miscarriage.” Koushi had whispered out slowly and softly, going at a pace which he knew Shouyou would be able to process and comprehend about not only the issue affecting the baby, but him as a _student_.

“…But, Suga-san, w-what about _school_? I-I—Cycling is the _only_ way I can ge—”

Koushi had quickly cut off Shouyou’s anxious tirade with a squeeze to his progressively trembling hands and a gentle, reassuring smile.

“You’ll stay here. With Daichi and I—”

“I _can’t impose!_ ” Shouyou had immediately retaliated, honey brown eyes wide in disbelief.

Koushi had simply squeezed the hands in his grip tighter, deep brown eyes swirling with reassurance and comfort. “It’s fine, okay? You’re not imposing; you’re a precious friend of ours, I don’t want you to have to struggle when we’re, when _I’m_ right here. I know that you don’t have anywhere else to go, and we have a guest room that we’ll let you use. You don’t need to worry about it, okay?”

“B-Bu—”

“No buts, howevers, or pleases, okay? I _want to help you_ , I don’t want you to struggle. The road ahead is going to be a tough one and I _can_ and _will_ help you through it, only if you let me.” Koushi had ended off with a gentle, reassuring squeeze to the small hands enveloped in his own, meeting Shouyou’s uncertain, anxious, and confused gaze with his own, meaningful one.

Orange-brown eyebrows furrowed before they relaxed in resignation.

Koushi internally breathed a sigh of relief before squeezing the small hands within his own.

 _This next one is going to be tough_.

“…Shouyou, there’s no easy way to say this next bit, but you need to tell your mother.”

Immediately, as Koushi had expected, Shouyou’s entire frame froze.

In the midst of everything that had been going on, _Shouyou realising that he was, in fact, an 18 year old financially instable freshman in college who is struggling to maintain his grades (the only thing he has left to bank on in securing his future), who is at the same time pregnant with his (ex-) boyfriend’s child_ , it had completely slipped his mind.

Hanan.

His mother.

His mother that he sees every day.

His mother who had been there all of his life, who had put up with her son’s terrible grades and had banked on him getting a scholarship _which he didn’t get_ , who is _struggling_ to fund her son’s _pricey_ college education on top of being a single mother of two children.

…And his mother who’ll be disappointed if she found out that her son was irresponsible enough to have a child when he’s _very well aware_ that he’ll not be able to handle it.

The thought of disappointing his mother _yet again_ , again because he _has_ disappointed her before; he was no alien to the sight of her slight pursing of lips coupled with the defeated, ‘ _I don’t know what to do with_ you’ look swimming about in her dimmed, honey brown eyes whenever he comes back home with yet another _F_ on his report card. He had been on the receiving end, _multiple times_ , of her dimmed, lost gaze, with its soft, blurry edges that sliced him much more swiftly and cleanly open, bare, wounded, _hurt_ , than any of her finely-honed and sharp, fiery, heated regards.

The irony.

…And he didn’t want that.

Shouyou didn’t want to disappoint his mother again.

To have that gaze directed at him _once again_ , to know that he has disappointed the one person who had helped him through, who had brought him up, for the past 18 years?

Shouyou couldn’t.

He wouldn’t be able to take it.

“Sh… Sh… Calm down, Shouyou—”

“Suga-san, I can’t, I—Kaa-san, she’s—she’s going to be _disappointed_ , Suga-san—”

“Then we’ll think of something else to use as an excuse.” Koushi’s calm and collected voice rang out loud and clear about the living room of his apartment, along with him rubbing soft, soothingly gentle circles onto the backs of small hands aided in soothing the anxious and panicked cries emanating from Shouyou.

“…I need you to simply listen to what I am about to say, okay?” Earnest deep brown eyes gazed openly into their honey brown counterparts, waiting for any sign or form of acknowledgement.

The two of them sat in tense, uncertain silence, before Koushi caught sight of the subtle biting of a plump bottom lip, the furrow of thin, deep orange eyebrows, and then, the slightest nod of Shouyou’s head.

Koushi sucked in a much needed breath, before slowly letting it out, in a vain attempt to flush out his _own_ jumbled mess of anxiety and nervousness, before getting everything else out.

And Shouyou listened.

Every single sentence that slipped past Koushi’s lips was said in the most gentle, caring, tone; a caress of a whisper carrying the load of life-changing words and warnings. Each single syllable was delivered in the mildest possible way, but the words cut sharp, dug deep, and slapped hard.

And it was at the end of the short speech, that Hinata Shouyou _realised_ , with laboured breaths and trembling hands, that:

  1. He is an 18 year old pregnant man who does not have his partner with him.
  2. He does not have the sufficient funds to be able to afford this child.
  3. On top of that, he needs to manage his sub-par grades and bump it all up to the As and Bs that he needs instead of the Cs and Ds that he has now because…
  4. He needs to give up on Volleyball.



As soon as the fourth point left Koushi’s lips, Shouyou froze.

_You can’t overexert your body; you have a child in there. Shouyou, I’m sorry but you need to put off sports for the next nine months, in the least._

… Shouyou felt… _numb_.

Because he _knew_ that it was impossible to simply give up volleyball for the next nine months _only_. For Christ’s sake, he’ll have a new born who’ll need all of the time and devotion he _can’t_ give; and if he were to pick back up volleyball at the end of his pregnancy…

The thought of managing his new born child on top of school work, GPAs, and working to secure a spot on the Japan’s National Men’s Volleyball Team seemed _impossible_.

Shouyou _knew_ that he wouldn’t be able to play volleyball again any time soon.

Not now, not nine months from now, and possibly not for a few years.

… And it _hurt_.

Volleyball was the one thing that he had shared, is sharing, and will _always_ share with his partner, _his Tobio_. It was what brought them together, what strengthened them, and ultimately, what broke them up in the first place.

Volleyball had created and bestowed upon Shouyou _so many firsts_ , and to know that he will need to give it all up, to give up the _one_ thing that will never fail to grant the reassurance that _I’ll be with Tobio again,_ the one thing that allows him to feel even the slightest bit close to Tobio, the one thing that has _always_ been there in their relationship…

It _sucked_.

It _hurt_.

 _But it had to be done_.

…And Shouyou knows, that no matter how long it takes, whether it be 10, or 20 years, he’ll reach the top, _with_ Tobio, and this child.

Shouyou’s been through _many_ things, and not one of them had stopped him or brought him down.

… And Shouyou _never_ planned on letting it start now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OFFICIAL START OF "SHOUYOU'S PREGNANCY" ARC.
> 
> *disappears for two months and reappears with a short ass chapter* IAMSOSORRY.   
> But okay my semester JUST and FINALLY ended, and guys you wouldn't BELIEVE hOW HECTIC IT WAS OHMYGOD but yeah i'm on my break and I'm working on getting it all done by this break. 
> 
> Updates will be biweekly, till this story ends (I'VE GOT IT ALL PLANNED OUT GUYS DON'T WORRY). 
> 
> Leave your thoughts down in the comments, they really make me happy and they MOTIVATE ME LIKE NO OTHER MAN I'm so grateful?? I love every one of you omg i'll GET THIS DONE AND NOT LET YOU DOWN *peace*


	4. Anticipation

“…Alright, may I ask why you’re leaving? You have great potential, I’ve seen your plays, and the ones with that talented setter, uh, what’s his name? Kage—”

“—Personal reasons,” Shouyou immediately broke the gaze, ignoring the sudden flash of shock that sparked in the confusion-dominant gaze of his senior, the Volleyball Club captain. “…just, personal reasons.”

The abruptness in which the tiny spitfire had cut him off left Takahashi Kazuo a little taken aback, and the shock had been clearly reflected in the widening of his deep brown eyes and immediate pursing of his lips.

He probably touched on a sensitive grounds.

The sudden shift in the atmosphere surrounding the ever lively Hinata Shouyou had been hasty, and the dour aura, stifling, and seemingly _misplaced._

“…Okay, well, I hope you’re okay.” Kazuo glanced back down at the flimsy piece of paper held in his hands, noticing the crumpled and dog-eared state it was in, immediately figuring out that this had been a tough decision that has been made by his junior.

Directing his gaze back down to the shock of orange that flared out even more so than usual, and noticing the aura of anxiety that was emanating from Shouyou; the tiny middle blocker was blatantly doing his best to avert his gaze from his senior’s, wringing his fingers together over his abdomen, and had his shoulders tensed and covering his ears.

Gently bringing his hand up to land on a rigid, small shoulder, Kazuo gave a quick squeeze, in hopes of reassuring his junior that _everything’s going to be okay_. “…Just so you know, the doors will always be open, if you ever wish to come back, Hinata-kun.”

Kazuo felt the small shoulder beneath his palm grow stiffer, if that was even possible, before it quickly relaxed and he was met once again with the bright grin that was signature to that of one Hinata Shouyou.

“Yes, thank you so much!”

And quickly, Shouyou turned back around, grabbed his book bag that was cautiously placed right next to the gym’s entrance doors, and scampered out of the humid, training-characteristically loud gym.

A small, sad smile worked its way on Kazuo’s lips, before a nearly silent, soft sigh escaped them.

_You can’t fool anyone with a smile as fake as that, Hinata-kun._

* * *

 

Apparently, and shockingly enough, tales and incidents of pregnant students in tertiary education was not as uncommon and as appalling as Shouyou had thought out to be. In fact, it was much more common than Shouyou could have imagined.

Not that it was as common as everyone having limbs or teeth, for that matter, but common enough to have the directors of the student board and council barely bat an eyelash before carrying on with the necessary procedures when it came to having an expecting student amongst their student body.

Shouyou had Koushi to thank for that, who had kindly and insistently helped him out with dealing with the official and required paperwork, as well as settling into his and Daichi’s apartment.

“Alright, that’s the last of the boxes,” Koushi had sighed, a satisfied, proud smile causing his lips to tilt up a little, morphing his expression into one of serenity and satisfaction. “Do you want a drink, Shouyou?” Koushi asked as he turned his torso around to face the tiny redhead, who had also just placed his own cardboard box down on the waxed wooden flooring.

Koushi noticed the slightly blank, vacant expression on the chubby face of his junior; the dimmed, lackluster glint (or lack thereof) in the usually bright, honey brown orbs, and the slight parting of full, pink lips. The small frame also seemed _too_ relaxed; back hunched, cowering into the tiny body subconsciously, and shoulders weightless but seemed to be dragged down by those small hands.

Those small hands which were cradled against the already prominent bulge of his lower abdomen.

The smile on Koushi’s faced softened ever so slightly on the edges, as he quietly padded his way through the mess of haphazardly stacked cardboard boxes towards Shouyou, who seemed unaware of his surroundings, which was why Koushi was not at all surprised by the sudden jolt Shouyou gave in response to Koushi placing his hand on his shoulder.

“You okay?” Koushi asked below his breath, loud enough only for Shouyou to hear, as he simultaneously gave the small shoulder in his hold a gentle, reassuring squeeze.

Shouyou only responded by blinking his large, doe eyes rather vacantly at his senior, before his words processed and he gave a slow, silent nod. “I just—it all seems so _surreal_. I need to…process everything.”

By the end of the mumbled sentence, Shouyou was nothing less than a bright red mess as he clenched his fists and lowered his gaze down to his feet.

At that plainly _adorable_ reaction, Koushi couldn’t help but let out a quiet chuckle, “It’s alright, take all the time that you need,” before he leisurely wrapped his arms around the tiny stature of his junior, and official roommate.

Shouyou didn’t know how tense and anxious he was until he could physically tell the difference in his demeanor as soon as Koushi had him wrapped in his arms; shoulders loosening, breath releasing, and entire demeanor slumping, into the warm, gentle, and _reassuring_ embrace that his senior had cocooned him in.

It was there, centered in Koushi’s arms, did Shouyou begin to process everything; moving into a new house, in a new neighborhood he knows absolutely nothing about, and how he’s _pregnant_.

It was the start of a new chapter in his life, a new phase, where he is, statistically, alone in his pregnancy; no father around to aid him and take care of the baby with him, and honestly, it _scared_ Shouyou.

He was going to go through with the pregnancy and going to have to raise his child _alone_ , as a single parent, for the next four years, at the least.

…And if Shouyou were to be completely honest with himself, he was _terrified_.

“I can hear you thinking, you know,” the quiet mumble sliced through the rapidly developing cloud of anxiety and fear that was enveloping the tiny redhead, abruptly halting Shouyou’s train of thought.

The smaller of the two immediately glanced up, locking gazes with the amused, knowing one of his senior’s, before ducking back down and burying his reddening face into the cotton-clad toned chest, shoulders hunching up to his ears.

At that endearing reaction, Koushi simply laughed before he freed one of his hands to run through those unruly, haphazard orange curls.

“It’s perfectly okay to be scared, you know? You don’t need to be embarrassed or anything.” The gentle words would have been inaudible if Shouyou had been any further away from Koushi, but seeing as how the two were quite possibly plastered against each other, Shouyou heard them all the same.

The silence that stretched on between the two of them after Koushi’s words of reassurance was anything less than serene and pleasant, but it was quickly interrupted by a loud inhalation, and immediately after, a quick, loud, and harsh sigh by the smaller of the two. The small, rounded shoulders that were hunched up by his ears slowly, but surely, began to inch their way down, until they slumped. Koushi also felt Shouyou burrowing his head against his chest, seeking for a comfortable position, before he resorted to resting his cheek against the toned planes of his chest.

“I know, but still… It all seems so… _unreal_. Like, I can’t believe I’d ever end up like this, to be honest,” Shouyou mumbled, tightening his hold on the back of Koushi’s shirt, “’18 and pregnant’, huh, I’d never thought I’d be able to relate to that.”

Koushi’s gaze softened, empathetic. He was about to reply, in hopes of lifting up the dour spirits of his junior, but Shouyou beat him to it.

“But, you know what, here I am now, and here I will be, for the next few months. And I’m going to go through with it, and by the end of it all, who knows, maybe I just might have a happy ending.” Shouyou had begun to slowly unwind himself from the hug, pulling himself back with each word that left his mouth, the flame of determination and perseverance flowing just a little brighter, flickering a little harder, with each word that left his lips, and Koushi could do nothing but simply smile and nod hid head, meeting Shouyou’s determined gaze with his own, reassuring one.

“Alright! Let’s get unpacking, shall we?” Koushi declared, and he couldn’t help the grin blossoming on his face when he was immediately responded with an overly enthusiastic nod an equally as loud “Ossu!”

* * *

 

**_One Month Later…_ **

It had been about two months since Shouyou found out that he was pregnant in Koushi’s bathroom, and if Google proved to be right, then he was about three months along now, and amidst all the hectic planning, fretting, and worrying, the thought of scheduling an appointment with a gynecologist had completely slipped the minds of the two of them, until today.

“Hey, Koushi?” Koushi felt more than heard the deep, quiet rumble of Daichi’s signature, post-sex gritty, gruff voice, from where he had his head laid against his thick, muscled chest. Daichi had cut his volleyball career after high school, and had gotten into rugby, which had explained his need to be heavily muscled and thick, which, of course, Koushi did not mind _at all_ , if he were to be honest with himself. However, Daichi’s choice of sport had also caused him to get into more than one possibly _serious_ case of injury, and they have argued over it, one time all out _fought_ over it, but thankfully, Daichi had promised to be much more attentive to his surroundings during club time, and to wear as much protective gear as possible.

Not that _that_ stopped the injuries entirely, because Koushi had _still_ been greeted with a beaten up Daichi more than once whenever it was his turn to prepare dinner after that fight.

But as long as Daichi doesn’t return home _very_ beaten up, and that he’s happy, Koushi wouldn’t want to force him out of his own choices.

And if he were to be completely honest with himself, he doesn’t ever want to, because _god_ is his boyfriend _hot_.

Not like his boyfriend ever was _not_ , and similarly, the deep rumbling in Daichi’s chest whenever he was mumbling something into the quiet, serene peace that enveloped the two of them after a hot night would never fail to be reassuring, gentle, and would always lull Koushi to sleep. However, this time, it had resulted in the complete opposite.

“…Has Shouyou visited the gynecologist yet? He seems to be getting quite bi—”

Immediately scrambling up, and also suffering a jab to the (rock hard) abdominal muscles, Daichi’s own gaze, laced with confusion and a tiny bit of panic and worry at his boyfriend’s abrupt movements, and quickly met the shocked, _even more so_ panicked gaze of his lover.

“ _Ohmygod Daichi._ ”

…And that was how the entire twelfth floor of the apartment complex which the three former Karasuno students were currently residing in, awoke to a rather panicked, loud, and (probably) unnecessarily (if you asked them) _shrill_ _shriek_ of “ _Shouyou the **baby**!_ ” at around 12a.m. on a weekday morning.

Which, by the way, was completely unappreciated seeing as how everyone else on the damn floor had either school or work the next day, as was the feeling of panic and anxiety that overcome a handful of the residents within the floor because _is someone in labour oh my god._

Also, the _scream_ that immediately followed after the shriek was one of pure unadulterated _terror_ that had nearly everyone else on the floor scrambling off of their beds and running out of their own comfortable apartments, only to come knocking down on the door of the Sawamura’s  & Sugawara’s, all in a state of complete alarm and anxiety.

However, needless to say, and much to the displeasure of the many other residents, no one was in labour, and unfortunately, they will not have a chubby, adorable new neighbor to smile and play with anytime soon.

 _That is, if ‘soon’ actually means, like, within 24 hours_ , thought Koushi, _because they **will** have a new neighbor within the next few months._

He quickly shook his head, trying his hardest to rid that embarrassing anecdote, and also the incident that led up to them attending their first gynecologist session in the first place, from his mind, which in turn resulted in him getting weird looks from the other expectant mothers and fathers waiting in the pastel blue painted waiting room.

Shouyou glanced back up to his senior, eyebrows furrowed towards the centre, and adorable, tiny button nose scrunched up, lines of confusion and slight worry etched all over his baby face. “Suga-san? What’s the matter?”

Koushi glanced back down towards Shouyou, warm, brown eyes peeking through the gaps between his fingers from where he had buried his head in his hands, noting the rather protective way Shouyou had his small hands clasped over his, if Koushi were to be honest with himself, _quite apparent_ baby bump.

It was endearing.

“Suga-san?” At the second mention of his name, now at a slightly louder and more confused yet urgent tone of voice, Koushi quickly snapped himself from his thoughts and brought his hands back down, flashing the redhead a quick, quirky grin as he ruffled the mop of orange.

“It’s nothing, just remembered something embarrassing, that’s all,” Koushi replied, tone light and hearty, watching Shouyou’s face smoothen itself from the various folds and creases, into one of realization and contentment.

The silence that descended upon the two of them after their quiet exchange was nothing short of pleasant and comfortable, but after chancing a glance at where Shouyou sat, feet swinging off the edge of the seat (because this boy was still far too short for his feet to be able to reach the floor), and short, slender fingers subtly twisting about one another on top of his baby bump, the uneasiness that Koushi had felt ever since his conversation with Daichi began to unfurl and grow again.

The two of them had finally managed to book an appointment for a visit to the doctor, and as the two of them sat in the waiting room, along with other pregnant parents, Koushi couldn’t help feeling nervous.

Daichi had brought up his observations about how Shouyou was, in fact, _quite_ big, and as far as Koushi was aware, Shouyou had been pregnant for only three months, and _yet_ , the baby bump seemed _slightly_ too large.

Koushi had simply brushed it off the first time he realized that Daichi was right, that maybe it’s normal or expected, and, _I mean, Shouyou is **tiny**_ , _so if he **were** to have a baby, it probably wouldn’t look proportionate at all, which is the case now._

At least, that was what Koushi had rationalized the situation to be like, even though it had failed to convince _both_ Daichi and himself, seeing as how Daichi’s eyebrow furrow did not budge even in the slightest and he had simply ended the conversation by giving a nervous, yet worried “…Just, get him checked out,” before he had left for school.

“Hinata Shouyou?” a loud voice called out from the front desk, which caused Koushi to jolt in his seat, successfully breaking him out of his train of thought as he began to clamber (quite elegantly) out of his seat, towards the receptionist.

Shouyou had simply glanced back behind him to make sure that Koushi was alerted as well, before turning back around and heading towards the gently-smiling lady clad in pastel, calming blues by the front desk.

As soon as the two of them were stood in front of her, she took a moment to flash both of them a toothy grin, one which had been seasoned and been on the same face for countless times, in the face of countless of other people, for perhaps, a few years. It was a smile meant to reassure, to congratulate whomever was stood in front of her, and was probably trained to blossom no matter the expressions and feelings the audience were to portray.

“Yamagida-san is waiting for you, Hinata-kun,” the lady had said before escorting them towards the wooden, aged and slightly worn out door to Doctor Yamagida Ami, the state-famous gynecologist. The title had not been bestowed upon her on empty grounds; the aging doctor had had many years of experience justifying that honourable proclamation, on top of the _fact_ that she had managed multiple, life-threateningly critical cases of pregnancy, and had succeeded in each and every one.

Sure, having and appointment booked with her had undoubtedly costed quite the sum of money, but both Daichi and Koushi had paid no mind to the cost, seeing as how Shouyou _was_ getting a little too big to have been pregnant for only three months. It had seemed unusual to the both of them.

And, of course, they only want what’s the best for Shouyou.

* * *

 

Gently knocking against the cool, hard wood of the door, Shouyou held his breath as he wrapped his hand around the cool, metal doorknob before pushing it open, holding it open for Koushi as he stepped in after him.

Once Shouyou had gently, and with much more effort than necessary, quietly shut the door behind him, he unconsciously proceeded to stand beside his senior, eyes roving about and taking in every single thing and bit of information about the office that he had stepped in, but none of it being processed and registering in his mind.

Shouyou was in awe.

Multitudes of posters regarding pregnancy littered the walls, covering every single inch in a rather neat, and organized fashion. Posters regarding every single stage of pregnancy was plastered on one specific, easily accessible corner of the office, some describing the respective weeks and others in months, some in the trimestral periods, and some in the shape and roundness of the belly. There was a little bed by one of the walls, with a curtain, hung on little circular metallic rings drilled into the ceiling, currently drawn back.

He had never been into a gynecologist’s office before (and, trust me, never had expected to have to be in one this early on in his life), and it was _so_ unlike that of the regular, family doctor’s clinic, as it wasn’t as bare, and didn’t reek of the signature, overpowering smell of hand-sanitizer and medicinal alcohol that was ever so present in hospitals.

There was also an old, dark-coloured wooden desk, littered in official looking documents all neatly arranged, some held down by cute, little animal-shaped paperweights. There was also a nice-looking lady, who was smiling and looking directly at him—

“Good evening, Hinata-san, and…,” The smooth, modulated voice quickly jolted the two men out of their anxious musings, catching them by surprise.

Immediately, Shouyou’s face blazed a bright red, one not unlike that of a firetruck, before quickly lowering his head in a perfectly regal bow. When Shouyou took a chanced glance at his left through his peripheral vision, he saw that Koushi was in a similar state, torso bent down at a perfectly respectful angle, bright red dusting the apples of his cheeks, before he quickly stood back up and introduced himself.

Shouyou followed suit, and once the exchange of formalities, as well as the various tests and procedures that occur at every gynecologist appointment was done and over with, and Ami knew who was actually pregnant, Ami had instructed for Shouyou to take a seat at the cushioned seat perched right by her desk.

“How long have you been pregnant, Hinata-san?” Ami asked, and she watched, with a soft, fond gaze, as Shouyou slowly brought his small hands from where they were fisted at his sides, to curl protectively around his protruding belly, cradling it between his palms.

“…Just Hinata is fine, Yamagida-san. And… I’m not too sure, but I think… about three months?”

Ami immediately felt her eyes widen.

That answer was certainly not expected.

Ami glanced back down at Shouyou’s belly.

 _He is far too big to be only at three months_.

Ami glanced back up, leveling her gaze with the honey brown ones of her newest patient. Ami realized that her bout of surprise and slight apprehension and confusion hadn’t went unnoticed by Hinata, and neither did it in the case of Sugawara, if the slight anxiety swirling slowly, yet surely, about in the gazes of the two of them was anything to go by.

Clearing her throat, Ami pushed back against her desk, hands lifting off of the keyboard and halting in their constant tapping and typing away at her patient spreadsheet, to come face to face with the pregnant teen.

“Okay, Hinata, can you tell me when you realized you were pregnant?”

Shouyou glanced down at his feet nervously, recollecting the memories of when he started to experience the signs of pregnancy. “Um… I missed by period in April, and I started feeling all weird and icky and all that at the end of April. I took a test around that time too and it came out positive.”

Shouyou glanced back up at Ami, meeting her analytical, focused gaze with his own anxious, slightly worried one.

The sudden shift in the expression and attitude of that of Ami did not go by unnoticed; the slight hardening of her pale, blue eyes, the dropping of her comforting, joyous smile, replaced by that of the slight pursing of her thin lips, and the slight cock of her head. The tiny flickering flame of worry within Shouyou couldn’t help but grow, the longer the expression of his doctor’s face refused to budge.

“Alright, I guess that adds up, then,” Ami said at last, however, her facial expression had barely shifted at all from where it was, and it did little to elevate the steadily growing weight of worry in Shouyou’s chest. “Hinata, I’m going to be honest with you, but you are _quite_ big to only be at three months.”

The worry that clouded his eyes had quickly morphed into that of confusion, because _huh?_

He turned back around, eyes glancing up, meeting chocolate brown eyes that were laced with emotions that mirrored those reflected in the doctor’s eyes. Koushi’s had been rather somber the entire time Ami had started interrogating Shouyou regarding his pregnancy, patiently and quietly listening in to what the doctor had to say. His expression know, though, the way his lips had oursed ever so slightly, accompanied by the slight furrowing of his brows was a sure give away to anyone who had known Koushi long enough, that it expressed his knowing as well as rising panic of the situation at hand.

_…I’m too big?_

Shouyou had not realized that he had said that out loud, and the neither did he realize the state of panic, worry and _confusion_ he was in was growing, not until he heard a light chuckle coming from his front. Immediately Shouyou turned back around, and facing his doctor once again, and taking note of how Ami’s expression of complete and utter seriousness had dissolved into that of the light-hearted, jovial one that he’d much rather be faced with, Shouyou physically felt some of his anxiety leave his tensed frame.

“Don’t worry, Hinata, I have a hunch as to why you’re much bigger than expected!” Ami’s bubbly voice had returned once again, and both Shouyou and Koushi had simultaneously felt a little more lax, as well as a little more apprehensive, expecting. “Would you like an ultrasound?”

Both Shouyou and Koushi could only sit (and stand, respectively) stock-still, seemingly unable to process the words that have just happily flown past the doctor’s lips. It was, right then, _clear_ to Ami Yamagida, gynecologist and obstetrician for nearly 30 years, that these two had close to _zero_ knowledge about what happens at the gynecologist.

Ami let out a quiet, light-hearted chuckle at the frozen expression on both of her newest visitors’ faces.

Thankfully, at her laughter, both of them were broken out of their surprised states, and she couldn’t help but let out another, much more breathy air of laughter as she managed to catch Shouyou’s gaze, noticing the slight swirl of excitement about the midst of the worry and anxiety.

Koushi, on the other hand, was much more reserved in his excitement, but Ami could tell that the two of them were excited, but still primarily very much worried and anxious nonetheless.

Ami smiled, briefly, hoping that it would help her patient and his friend to calm down and relax a little, loosen them up a bit, because they really didn’t have much to worry about.

“Stop looking so tense! You don’t have anything to worry about, your vitals are fine, you’re healthy, and everything is looking good,” at this, Shouyou and Koushi shared a quick, reassuring glance before, _finally_ , relaxing their shoulders, the tension, worry, and anxiety slipping off of them and flowing out of their system with each inch that their shoulders drop down.

“…Okay, but Hinata here is still quite big, isn’t he, Yamagida-san?” As soon as Koushi had uttered his question, Shouyou’s frame quickly tightened up in apprehension and worry.

Ami only nodded her head, eyes knowing and lips tilting up at the corners. “Yes, he is, but you both don’t need to worry, _trust me_ ,” and once again, Ami waited for the two of them to relax before carrying on, “However, I’d still like to carry out an ultrasound, to see how the child’s doing.”

Ami’s soft, peaceful gaze caught that of Shouyou’s nervous, slightly restless one. “Don’t worry, Hinata, if the mother is strong and healthy, so is the baby.”

* * *

 

“Alright, Hinata, lift up your shirt please.”

Both Shouyou and Koushi were back in Ami’s office, and have made many arrangements during their first one, and also a ( _very_ ) long yet enjoyable lecture on pregnancy, in Koushi’s case, but a _too_ long _but_ much needed one for Shouyou, because, guess what, _I’m pregnant_.

Ami had briefed them on what to expect during Shouyou’s entire pregnancy, as well as what will happen and what will change, and also the various activities to do and those to avoid. She had also lectured them on what foods to refrain from and what foods to inculcate in Shouyou’s diet, and basically everything else that an expecting mother should know.

And since as of their first appointment, Shouyou was approaching his second trimester, they had scheduled to have monthly appointments with Ami, as per Ami’s instructions. At their first appointment, Shouyou was at Week 12 of his pregnancy, and both Shouyou and Koushi were notified that as soon as Shouyou were to approach Week 29 of his pregnancy, he would have to start making bi-weekly visits to the Yamagida office, and once he reaches Week 36, he would then need to pay Ami weekly visits up until Week 40, when he would be expected to deliver.

Right now, both Shouyou and Koushi were back in the Yamagida office, with Shouyou much larger than before whilst being only on Week 16, and Koushi was starting to get worried.

Ever since they had left Ami’s office, especially after Ami’s lecture, Koushi had felt much more relaxed and calm, but with the days and weeks that flowed by after their first visit to their doctor had Shouyou growing much larger, and at a faster rate than before.

It had almost gotten to the point where Shouyou couldn’t fit into his button up shirts anymore.

It had honestly started to scare Koushi, and he couldn’t help the flame of worry, which was barely a flicker after their first appointment, where they were told that they didn’t have to worry about anything since Shouyou was in good, prime health, to a unwavering, angry fire of vicious flames, and Koushi had no idea as to how to put it out.

Which was why he was very much impatient and itching for their next appointment to come around, hoping that Ami would help douse the flames with her expertise and knowledge, as well as from the results of the ultrasound.

They were going to find out how the baby was doing.

They were going to find out whether the baby was doing okay and growing well.

They were going to find out today whether the baby was going to harm Shouyou in any way.

And Koushi was _scared_.

He didn’t want Shouyou to be at risk right now, because of this baby, this child, _his_ and _Tobio’s_ _child_. He couldn’t stand to see Shouyou lose another part of himself again, he couldn’t stand to see Shouyou be handed the short end of the stick yet _again_.

Shouyou had been through so much, had gone through so much, had been on the receiving end of constant underestimation, of constant derision, of constant disrespect, and yet had managed to pull through all of that. Shouyou had never failed to show everyone who underestimated him, whether it was in volleyball or in his self, that they were wrong and had managed to prove, time and time again, that he was _good_ , that he was _not_ a hindrance, that he _can_ and that he _will_ succeed. Shouyou had put up with and faced those comments, those judgmental scorns, those hateful glares, dealing with him being able to reproduce and still dare to call himself a _man_.

Shouyou had gone through all of that.

Shouyou had put up with every single one of them.

And Shouyou deserves a _break_.

…He’s lost so much, for God’s sake, this little, tiny ray of sunshine had been through so much and had _lost_ so much and if the baby was something that Shouyou _had_ to lose, once _yet again_ …

…Koushi wouldn’t be able to stand it.  

And excited gasp broke Koushi out of his reverie, and he quickly shook his head, clearing away all the negative thoughts before glancing back down at where Shouyou was laid on the bed. Shouyou had his baggy T-shirt rucked up over the swell of his belly, his small hands lightly pressing onto the skin stretching across the sides of his baby bump, whereas Ami had her hands holding onto and guiding the weird, wand-like device over and about the coating of jelly that was spread all over Shouyou’s belly.

Both of them had their gazes fixated onto the ultrasound machine screen, eyes shining in utter excitement and elation, lips wide and grinning.

“I told you both that you had nothing to worry about,” Ami’s bright, bubbly voice caught Koushi’s attention. “It’s common to be much bigger than expected in cases like yours, Hinata.”

Ami glanced back around to face the two of them, their expectant gazes boring into her own, one full of excitement and wonderment, another in shock and apprehensive.

“There’s two heartbeats,” Ami continued, and she couldn’t help the widening of her grin, flashing even more in pure, unadulterated elation.

“You’re having twins, Hinata.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IknowIknowI'materribleauthorohmygodforgiveme  
> But here it is!!! The latest chapter and first chapter in Shouyou's pregnancy arc!!! 
> 
> I hope you guys have enjoyed reading this as much as i did writing this (although the first part was really tough to write, because of writer's block and what not). The second half of the chapter just honest to god came out of no where and it just ALL flowed in a single day, in a single writing session and I'm SO PROUD OF MASELF GUYS *pats self on back*
> 
> Anyway, leave a comment down below if you've enjoyed this, your comments make me so happy y'all omg i love every single one of them and EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU. <3 AND WE'VE SURPASSED 2K NOTES + 200 KUDOS I AM SO GRATEFUL AND THANKFUL FOR EVERY ONE OF YOU WHO READ MY STORY!!!! 
> 
> Anyway, since the fact has already been established that I am not reliable when it comes to updates, I shall not promise anything but just know, that i will get this story done and wrapped. Trust me guys. :D


	5. Apprehension

“You’re having twins, Hinata,” Ami said, bright grin plastered on her face, seemingly too big for her small face, “You’re having two, healthy, strong, children.”

And Koushi’s entire world froze.

He watched Ami’s effusive expression, the unrestrained joy and happiness etching deep into every crevice present on her agin face, watched as her soft, glistening eyes gazed back down at her newest patient and latest expecting patient. Koushi also watched as Shouyou’s grin started to lose its grip on his face, watched as the corners started trembling, watches as his large, doe eyes started glistening, and he could only watch on as Shouyou let slip a tear before he was sniffling.

He could only watch, frozen, as the doctor told both him and Shouyou that everything was alright, that everything was okay, that the babies were healthy, that Shouyou was in no danger, that _Shouyou can and will have his **babies**_.

A maelstrom of emotions was wreaking havoc within Koushi; shock, _happiness_ , pure and utter _relief_ , and he couldn’t move. He was feeling every single emotion, watching every single thing unfold and present itself in the happiest, relieving way possible, but he couldn’t process any of it.

He had been so _worried_.

He had been so worried for Shouyou, so worried for the baby, so worried for everything, and to know that his worries had all been unnecessary and not needed and to know that Shouyou was healthy and happy and that the babies were too…

…Koushi hadn’t even realized he was crying until Shouyou had reached out for him, the breathy, yet gentle call of “Suga-san” falling from those trembling, bitten lips, small hand removing itself from its place by the swell of his belly, reaching out for his senior, his _anchor_.

Koushi quickly wiped his eyes against the sleeve of his shirt, uncaring of whether or not he had been caught crying because literally everyone else in the office was experiencing some of tears, one way or another, what would another crying adult add to the picture?

Hurrying his way over towards the bed, Koushi gently took Shouyou’s hand, knowing how nervous Shouyou had been from the layer of perspiration coating the palm and the tiny fingers, knowing how shocked and disbelieving Shouyou was from the way it was trembling, knowing how _relieved_ Shouyou was from how tight the small hand’s grip on Koushi’s own hand was.

Koushi knew that his hand was in a similar state; wet and shaking yet desperately holding onto the other’s hand, squeezing it in hopes of finding and grasping onto the one thing that would be able to ground him and his frazzled mind, and the one thing that would be able to calm the whirlwind of emotions he was facing.

Koushi glanced back down at Shouyou, watching the plain joy and relief swirling about those honey brown eyes, ones which were filled with nothing but anxiety, fear, and worry just moments before.

And Koushi couldn’t help it when his own grin started blossoming on his face, his own relief and elation stretching his lips wide and showcasing his pearly whites.

 _Shouyou’s going to be alright_.

* * *

 

After that rather emotional moment, which Ami had also partaken in, Shouyou had excitedly asked whether he could have a picture of the ultrasound to take back home with him. However, seeing as how he was much too excited, his question had come out rather rushed, rough, and appeared rather rude.

Koushi had instantly berated him for that, to which Shouyou, in typical Hinata-fashion, immediately blushed a red that matched the shade of his hair, before sputtering out apologies and pleadings for forgiveness.

Ami had simply waved it off, seemingly used to patients who had personalities akin to that of the tiny redhead currently laying down on the bed, and simply laughed her consent before leaving her office to print out the pictures of the ultrasound, and ultimately leaving the two men alone in her office.

As soon as the tell-tale click of the door closing resounded about the room, the atmosphere within it mellowed out, the high that its occupants were on winded down to a calm, peaceful flame. Koushi had proceeded to wipe away the last remnants of the joyous tears that had sprouted up, of course, as surreptitiously as possible, but that crumbled, damn flimsy piece of tissue wasn’t able to wipe away any of the pure relief and joy rushing through his veins.

 _Shouyou is going to be alright_.

_Shouyou’s going to be able to keep the bab **ies**_ **.**

_Shouyou’s going to be happy_.

…And honestly, that was all Koushi had wanted all along.

Because Shouyou had been through _enough_ ; scornful remarks, derogatory comments, and disrespect all his life, underestimation, condemnation, derision ever since he started high school, and, right now, losing his best friend, lover, and _partner_ , and being alone in the unplanned pregnancy.

Because Shouyou had never given up, had always persevered and smashed down mile-tall walls of _hurtful, painful, rude_ comments about who he was and what he had. Because Shouyou had _always_ , time and time _again_ , proven to everyone just _how wrong_ they were about him, and _how strong_ he could be.

Because Shouyou had been there for everyone, had been there whenever someone needed someone to talk to, a shoulder to cry on, or when someone needed a friend.

And _god_ , did Koushi _want_ Shouyou to find some happiness for himself too, because this tiny redheaded spitfire deserved all the happiness in the world.

* * *

 

**Week 18**

“Oh, how lovely,” the latest customer cried, her eyes scrunched up into upside down ‘U’s in order to make some room for the gentle, lovely grin that stretched on her face as soon as she heard the news. She took a break from counting the number of coins she had in her little purse and had moved her frail, wrinkled and aged hands to rest on her heart. “Have you thought of any names for them, yet, dear?”

Shouyou could not have helped how his smile stretched out into a grin as soon as she had asked her question, and much less the misting over of his eyes, never having expected to have such a positive reaction after telling her that he was expecting.

It had been _so_ long since he last had a positive reaction to his pregnancy, be it from acquaintances at school or complete strangers, and it felt _extremely_ comforting and just plain pleasant to receive a positive reaction from people after they’ve found out that he was a male, pregnant, freshman in college.

Shouyou knew that being pregnant was _not_ at all going to a walk in the park; he had very much expected the cravings, the sleepless nights, and how progressively difficult the simple, mundane and everyday things would appear to be. However, factor in the facts that Shouyou was _only_ 18, _single_ , and, most importantly, a _male_ … Shouyou never realized he’s have to fight an emotional and mental battle as _tough_ as this as well.

Shouyou had always been the one person who would get along and befriend practically anyone and everyone he would and has ever met, which was how he managed to befriend and dare say that he was very good friends with the socially anxious Kozume Kenma, and has managed to rub off a little on the cold (and some would say heartless) Tsukishima Kei.

And that was also how he managed to become friends, best friends, and _partners_ with none other than the infamous King of the Court.

Shouyou had always been nice to people, never having an ounce of him succumbing to hate or anger at someone nor has he thought of even holding a grudge against someone. Shouyou has also never said anything mean nor belittled anyone because of any mistake they made or difficulty they are facing, mess less has he said anything purposefully nasty about someone’s personality and attitude.

And he was hoping that people would do the same to him, because Shouyou was a firm believer of the phrase “Treat others as how you would want to be treated.”

…But, alas, the universe was a fucked up piece of shit and apparently had decided that it hadn’t put the tiny redhead through enough (for its own sick pleasure, I guess), because as soon as word got out that _Hinata Shouyou, that first year? Yeah, he’s pregnant. Disgusting, right? What a slut, probably spread his legs for the first senior he saw, I don’t know._

It _hurt_.

The very first time Shouyou had come across any form of nasty remark about him was during a lecture in school, from his lecture mates. Shouyou was running a little late because he had overslept that morning, and he was already three months along then, so it was not surprising that other students had taken notice of his baby bump.

However, he completely didn’t expect the other students in the lecture hall to have _all_ zeroed in their gazes and focus on _him_ , _wholly and completely_. Don’t get me wrong, this was not the first and only time a certain Hinata Shouyou had turned up late to class, and much less it being the first time he had captured the attention of everyone in the room, but it _was_ the first time when those gazes held specks of repulsion and disgust, swirling about those judgmental orbs.

It wasn’t even a moment later did the audience quickly swivel their heads about, clustering together and it was _then_ did Shouyou realise that he had never felt more embarrassed nor ashamed because of who he was then.

 Everyone in the lecture hall had looked at him with such animosity directed at him by so many people at once, everyone had glanced at him, chins lifted as their eyes dragged down his body, boring into the prominent bulge (unsuccessfully) hidden under his too-large sweatshirt, before those gazes skittered away from him and towards each individual’s group of friends.

The entire time that Shouyou stood at the entrance to the lecture hall only lasted for a few seconds, but Shouyou could honestly tell you that he had never felt time move any slower than it then during those few moments. Shouyou felt like as though he could see everything in slow motion; and last time the possibility of seeing anything in slow motion would have baffled and amazed him, and would have always left him with the feeling of never wanting it to end.

This was the first time he wanted nothing more than for it to all end and for time to move at a regular pace again.

He watched, breath held, eyes wide, shocked, mouth agape, and face slowly burning a bright red, as he noticed and processed each and every whisper that was being made.

Whispers had never been so loud.

 _He’s pregnant? How gross! He’s a_ guy _!_

_It’s barely been three months in this school and he’s already been knocked up? Whore._

_Isn’t he super friendly with everyone? Dude, was he_ that _desperate to get laid?_

_What a slut!_

_Disgusting!_

“—Hinata-kun, please take a seat so that we can continue on with the lecture.”

Shouyou had never felt more detached nor as thankful for having a stern, firm lecturer as much as he did back then, because the smooth, no-nonsense baritone of his teacher had rung and echoed about the expansive lecture hall, effectively cutting off all forms of whispers and directing all of the gossiping students’ attention away from their huddled circles back to the front of the lecture hall.

Shouyou hadn’t been aware that he had tears pooling on his bottom eyelids until his lecturer’s voice had startled him out of his detached, isolated state of mind and he blinked. Shouyou felt tears slip out the corners of his eyes before he quickly brushed them away, nodding hastily before shuffling down the steps towards his self-designated seat in the middle of the hall.

As expected, though, the whispers could only have stopped for as short a time as the teens’ had their attention diverted, and it wasn’t long after their lecturer turned his back around to start explaining the next section did they start back up again.

And with walking down the steps, came being at closer proximity to his lecture mates, and closer proximity to the harsh whispers and rude comments.

_Whose baby do you think it is? He’s super friendly with everyone, wonder whose dick got up there first._

_I pity the father, having finished inside a_ freak _. How_ desperate _was the guy anyway?_

 _I pity the_ children _, they’re gonna have a freak of a mother! They’re probably going to turn out deformed!_

Shouyou couldn’t help his tears from falling then, and wouldn’t have even succeeded if he tried, even.

It _hurt so much_ , because these people didn’t even know what they were saying, they didn’t know what they were even talking about, _they didn’t know Shouyou and what he had already been through_.

_They didn’t know anything and what gives them the right to spew out nonsense like as though they did?_

With his lip clamped between his teeth and eyebrows furrowed, lids controlled in a desperate attempt to keep it all in, to keep it all together for just _90 more minutes_ , Shouyou quickly scrambled towards his seat, desperate to get away from everyone else, desperate to get away from those remarks, those comments that were completely _uncalled for_ and completely _painful_.

“Shut up, all of you!” A booming roar echoed about the entire hall, immediately causing all whispers, no matter how loud, to cease, causing the entire lecture theatre to fall into complete and utter silence.

“Stop being so judgmental! What he’s doing or who he’s doing is _none of your business_! Stick your nose where it’s supposed to be stuck in!” Everybody immediately looked towards the front, where Yamagida sensei was stood, furious.

Shouyou immediately glanced back up, eyes gone wide in shock and frozen, ignoring the lone tear that slipped past his eyelids and rolled down his angry red cheek. Yamagida Sensei was the first school committee member that Shouyou had told, seeing as how he _was_ Shouyou’s lecturer and since Shouyou had struggled a lot over the past few weeks with understanding his material, Shouyou had paid him frequent visits during office hours in order to understand what his lecturer was going on about during his lectures, and it was through this that the two had developed a much more platonic and empathetic relationship as compared to those that Shouyou had with his other lecturers.

And when once again, Yamagida was paid another visit by his student, the _last_ thing he had expected was for Hinata Shouyou to come sobbing and blubbering on about his unexpected pregnancy, and the _entire_ backstory.

And right now, Shouyou was _grateful_ that he had spilled everything back when he stumbled into the staff lounge, emotionally-drunk and painfully lost.

Your parents aren’t paying ¥450 000 a year for you to get a degree in gossiping! If you’re not going to be focusing on the class material, I suggest you leave.” Yamagida sensei’s thunderous voice had continued to ring and echo about the lecture hall for much longer after he had stopped reprimanding the group of gossipy teenagers, of whom were all stock-still and silent.

Yamagida sensei’s eyes were ablaze in pure, unadulterated fury and disbelief, because _how could someone say those things about a person they know nothing about?_ It had left him gob smacked, after having heard some of the much louder, most probably accidentally-on-purpose, remarks and comments. He couldn’t _believe_ just how crude and hurtful the words were; and the expertise and sharpness in which they were delivered had left him baffled, because it clearly showed how _much_ their words had been intended to hurt.

And it had _hurt_ _him_ , because, again, _how could someone say those things about a person they know nothing about?_

Furious, livid eyes scanned the lecture hall once again, skittering about the shocked, wide-eyed and agape expressions of all of his students, his _silent_ students. They all had their lips parted, in disbelief at the brazen display of anger and underlying protectiveness by their calm, cool, and collected lecturer.

However, Yamagida paid no mind to their shocked expressions, instead choosing to appreciate the silence, and especially the absence of those unnecessary, and absolutely crude, unwanted, and ignorant remarks, and quietly breathed a sigh of relief, the tension leaving along with that breath of air.

As Yamagida proceeded to turn back around towards the board, and for the class to once again _focus_ on the things that mattered, he caught the shiny, tearful gaze of the _only_ tiny redheaded student, the _only one_ who had been on the receiving end of those uncalled for remarks.

Yamagida watched as the full, harsh red lips of his student mouthed out a ‘ _Thank you_ ’, and he quickly flashed a reassuring smile in return before instructing him to focus back on the lesson with a swirl of his index finger.

And Shouyou couldn’t help but grin, because even though every negative reaction and negative comment made of him regarding his pregnancy _hurt_ , the few, positive ones would _never_ fail to heal the deep, wide wound that was inflicted by their opposites.

And right now, the sweet old lady who was standing in front of him, simply watching him as Shouyou began to pack her items into the various paper bags, was unknowingly helping him suture those deep, wide wounds she had not known were there to begin with.

“Um,” Shouyou began, a fond, bright smile on his face, “I haven’t really thought of names, actually! I don’t know their genders yet, but I would really like for them to be a boy and a girl respectively. My doctor said that they were both strong, and I _know_ that they’re going to be beautiful, so maybe Kenta and Kiyomi?” Shouyou ended off with a smile, seemingly proud and happy at the names that he thought of in the spur of the moment.

His customer seemed even happier at his reply and the names that he had in mind for the babies, as her smiled glowed brighter and stretched even wider across her face (if that was even possible). “Those are beautiful names, dear.”

Shouyou’s cheeks had started to hurt from all the unrestrained smiling that he was doing, but he couldn’t help them at all, because he could count on one hand the number of positive reactions he had gotten from people when they found out about his pregnancy, and they had all never failed to brighten his broody, gloomy, and dark days, which were becoming much more of a norm than Shouyou would have liked.

“Thank you so much, Miss,” Shouyou cried, putting in the last of her items into a paper bag. “I hope you have a great day!”

The old lady only smiled kindly once again, before picking up her items and wishing the same for Shouyou, scuttling off towards the exit.

The grin which seemed to have been plastered on Shouyou’s face refused to tone down a notch all throughout the next few minutes, and seeing as how it was a rather slow day, what with it being mid-day on a weekday, Shouyou didn’t have any customers waiting at his line for a few moments, which gave him the absolute freedom to simply do nothing for a few minutes during his shift.

He was currently a cashier at the local supermarket, and had started working there only recently, about a week or two after both he and Koushi found out that he was having twins.

The elation at realizing that he was going to have twins had resulted in Shouyou being on a high that lasted for quite a while, and a day did not go by after their visit to Ami’s office did Shouyou ever _not_ pick up the pictures from the ultrasound, gaze fond and joyful as he tenderly stroked the parts of the ultrasound image where Ami had pointed out to be the babies’ developing heads and limbs.

And it wasn’t long after that sudden realization that _I am going to have two children_ did Shouyou realise that he would need to be able to _support_ his children _financially_.

And _boy_ , did _that_ give Shouyou something to panic about for days.

It wasn’t long after their last visit to Ami’s clinic, before Shouyou had started thinking too much and too hard about his _very near_ future that he was going to share with his two children, and also about how he wouldn’t be able to support them financially if he didn’t have or create a source of income in the near future.

Shouyou had initially panicked a great deal as soon as he realized that, and it had resulted in an anxious, panicky Shouyou curled up beside the guest bed (currently his, for the time being), short, small legs tucked into his chest as he buried his head into his knobby knees, slender arms curled tight around his calves as he desperately tried to reign in and control his breathing. His breaths were progressively getting choppier and more haggard the more the thoughts of _not being able to give what his children deserve_ rang in his mind, consistently and constantly bouncing off the walls and flashing bright.

It was a sight that one Sawamura Daichi had not expected to be greeted with as soon as he stepped into their apartment.

The sniffles and shuddering breaths were something that sounded vaguely familiar, Daichi remembered thinking, before immediately switching gears and realizing that Shouyou was the only one home, since Koushi had volleyball practice and vice-captain duties to attend to, and _hence_ , the only one who could have been making those pitiful sniffles was none other than their new, tiny roommate.

Daichi had immediately rushed towards their guestroom, skillfully meandering and maneuvering himself around their artfully furnished apartment which was currently haphazardly littered with all sorts of random items.

Koushi would have been proud of how fluid and flexible Daichi had (thought himself to be) been, if he had been at home.

But never mind that, because as soon as Daichi was poised behind then white door leading to Shouyou’s room, he immediately yanked it open, scrambling to get in and console the (adorably) huddled and bundled up figure laying curled against the bed frame.

The red mop had lifted itself off of those knobby knees as soon as Shouyou registered Daichi’s (rather exuberant) entrance, and those thin eyebrows had slowly pulled towards the center of the rounded face, bottom lip trembling and tiny button nose scrunching, as soon as Daichi was knelt right beside him. Daichi quickly wrapped his arms around Shouyou, having been finely tuned and being able to successfully pick up the faint signs that all pointed towards an impending Shouyou-waterwork.

As soon as Daichi had linked his fingers together, and rested his hands on the arm that wasn’t pressed against his chest, Shouyou had immediately crumbled. It was barely a moment later, after a quick, yet dreadfully heart-wrenching hiccup and sob, did Shouyou spill what had been on his mind, eating away at him for the past couple of hours.

Daichi had patiently listened to every desperate, broken word that spilled from those harshly bitten, bright red lips of his junior, whilst simultaneously doing his very best to comfort him through physical touch and affection (which, as both Koushi and Daichi had realized _way_ back when they were still members of the Karasuno Men’s Volleyball Club, was the best way to comfort and console the little one). Daichi rested his chin atop the bright, unruly locks of red, whilst smoothing his palms against the tense, jerky, and shuddering arm that they were resting on.

It wasn’t long before all of Shouyou’s bottled up emotions, feelings and thoughts were spilt, out in the open, blubbering one after another in a seemingly endless, choppy and jerky breath. Throughout the entire time Shouyou was opening himself up, spilling every thought he had to Daichi, Shouyou’s hands had shifted from their vice grip around his knees to rest against his protruding belly. Daichi had also noticed, that with every desperation-laced word that spilt from Shouyou’s lips, the hands had pressed ever so slightly against his pregnant belly, seemingly grasping and holding, in anguish and pure desperation, onto his unborn.

It had pained Daichi to see the bright, sunny Shouyou in that state of desolation and despair.

A comfortable, serene silence had shrouded the two persons for a few minutes, although it was broken occasionally by soft, decreasingly violent hiccups and coughs, which were always immediately followed after by soft, soothing murmurs or reassurance and comfort.

“Shouyou, I know that you’re worried about money and all, but you really don’t need to be,” Daichi had started, not ceasing his smoothing of his palms over Shouyou’s arm, “you have Koushi and I, and the promise that Koushi made on behalf of the both of us, about always being there for you no matter what happens, stands even on financial grounds.”

“I know that,” Shouyou had begun, and he really was grateful that he had his ex-seniors, and current friends to fall back on, because honestly if Shouyou didn’t have them, he doesn’t know where he’d have ended up. “And I’m really thankful, Daichi-san, I really am,” Shouyou sighed, “But I feel very… _buomp_ if I were to do that, it’s like as though I’m free-loading off of your hard earned cash.”

Daichi had immediately readied himself to retaliate, to vehemently deny that statement, aghast and shocked that Shouyou would even think that. However, sensing Daichi’s rigid posture, Shouyou quickly explained his stand. “It’s just what _I_ feel, and I mean, ultimately these two are _my_ children, and as their parent, _I_ need to be able to support them, you know?”

Shouyou glanced back up, meeting Daichi’s umber brown eyes, hoping that he had managed to get his reasons and feelings across to the thick, stoic man.

Thankfully, he had. Realisation and understanding had started to seep into the man’s initially shocked gaze, and with each moment that passed with Daichi processing Shouyou’s words, the man’s once rigid, stiff posture slowly started to slump and droop in understanding.

“…I can understand that, Shouyou,” Daichi had murmured, and Shouyou wouldn’t have heard it if he wasn’t still encased in Daichi’s arms. “But _you_ need to understand that you’re no longer responsible for just your own life, you have two more to worry about and be healthy for.”

Daichi could sense immediately that Shouyou wanted to desperately protest, that he himself knew what was at stake here, but Daichi squeezed the smaller’s shoulder in response to the parted lips. It was a silent reassurance and, at the same time, a plead for Shouyou to simply listen to what Daichi had to say.

When Daichi felt the small shoulder slump in both resignation and a slight twinge of defeat, he proceeded on. “I can get you a job, that is no issue,” Shouyou quickly braced himself for the next few words, knowing that even though Daichi had said that he _could_ get Shouyou a job, _could_ get Shouyou a way to help save up for his two children, the next few words would indicate that he _wouldn’t_.

And Shouyou’s gut feeling proved right in the end.

“…But I _wouldn’t_ want to do that because I don’t want you to overexert yourself.” Once again, Shouyou tried desperately to protest, to tell Daichi that he _has_ been taking things easy, that he _has_ been taking things lightly, that he _has not_ overworked himself even once nor has he _ever_ tried to. But, when faced with a stern, quietly demanding look to stay silent from Daichi, all protests faded and died in Shouyou’s throat, and the smaller man could do nothing but sit, dejectedly, as he heard what Daichi had to say.

“Shouyou, please understand that I’m doing this because I _care_. I don’t want you to risk _anything_ , and especially not yours or the babies’ health, and I’m very aware that you wouldn’t want that either.”

Shouyou could only bite his lip at that, because he _knew_ why Daichi (and probably Koushi, by extension) wasn’t willing to let him get a job. He _knew_ that they knew that pregnancy was tough when it’s _just one_ child, but Shouyou was carrying _two_. Moreover, Shouyou was well known for his tendency to overwork himself without being aware of it, constantly pushing himself and not paying any mind to whatever is going on around him or what is happening to him.

And because of both of these _major_ factors, Shouyou could very well see why they wouldn’t allow him to work. Shouyou knew that he might even overwork himself and he _may_ end up losing his two children, which, as Daichi had implied, he _absolutely did not want_.

…But Shouyou was _stubborn_ , and he couldn’t shake off the feeling of him free-loading off of his seniors when he felt that he had absolutely no right to. It just felt, _wrong_ , to Shouyou. Like he had explained, ultimately the twins were _his_ children, and if he wasn’t able to provide for them, what kind of parent would he be?

So he decided to negotiate.

“What if I take up a job that won’t allow me to overwork myself?” Daichi had immediately given Shouyou an incredulous look, gaze completely unamused and frame radiating the typical _were you not paying any attention to my entire explanation_ aura.

Shouyou quickly scrambled together his bearings and raised his hands up in front of his self, hoping to be able to shield himself (although it was a vain attempt) from Daichi’s in-coming wrath. “I mean, like, a cashier, you know? Where I will sit, and—and, I can rest, and stuff. There’s no chance that I will overwork myself that way, right?”

Shouyou could see understanding and, god bless, _consideration_ , dawn on Daichi, his gaze breaking away from its vicious, bemused one and slowly being taken over by one of understanding and deliberation. Shouyou could identify the little cracks in Daichi’s resolve of not letting Shouyou work, the firm, final stand wavering, and Shouyou immediately seized his opportunity to relentlessly pester and prod and hopefully _convince_ Daichi that he could work.

“I wouldn’t have to walk around a lot, and I wouldn’t have to carry anything or do anything too strenuous, right? And I’m sure if we just explained the situation to the people there I could just take the non-peak hour shifts, right? And if I actually do need to do anything strenuous I could just ask for help, right?”

With each and every line Shouyou rambled, he could see the tiny cracks on Daichi’s stoic, stern face widen, and widen, and widen, until his entire mask broke and gaze _considering_. Shouyou continued on to explain, proving with each new line that he wouldn’t have to do anything too strenuous, that he wouldn’t do anything to risk his or his babies’ health and lives, that he wouldn’t overwork himself.

When he was finally done, panting and out of breath, Shouyou could only bite his lip as he clenched his fists, anticipation growing and gnawing at his insides, waiting impatiently for Daichi’s answer.

A sigh. A long, drag of a rough, thick palm over the back of an equally as thick neck. A purse of lips. “I’ll talk to Suga.”

And Shouyou couldn’t help the little _whoop!_ he had let out in response to Daichi’s final answer; because if Daichi was seeing enough reason in Shouyou’s explanation to want to speak to Suga-san, then Shouyou had already won half the war.

…But if Suga-san said ‘no’ then, well, Shouyou wouldn’t be able to do anything about it. Because unlike Daichi-san, Suga-san was a _lot_ more firm in his decisions when it came to someone’s health, and even more so when that someone was someone he cared deeply for, and _even more so_ when that certain someone was his dear junior whom he cared deeply for, and said junior was currently single, and yet pregnant with two babies.

…But here he was, at the supermarket, already working just one month after he had the talk with Daichi. So who won, after all?

* * *

 

**Week 20**

“How did the appointment go, Shouyou? Did Ami-san say anything today?” As soon as Koushi and Daichi had stepped into the apartment, the firing of questions immediately commenced. Shouyou was currently at 20 weeks, 5 months, and was well into his second trimester, meaning monthly visits to Ami still.

However, this visit to Ami was the first one in which he went alone; seeing as how Koushi had volleyball practice and with a tournament coming up, Shouyou did not want to sabotage the team’s rightful victory in any way, and with Daichi having late afternoon classes, it was inevitable that Shouyou had gone alone.

Not that the tiny redhead minded, of course. He knew _very_ well that Daichi _had_ to focus on his studies, on top of managing the heavy workload of projects, the duties as rugby captain, as well as his part time job. And he also knew that the annual Collegiate Volleyball tournament was fast approaching, and for all of its intents and purposes, Shouyou _needed_ Tohoku to win, and in order for that to happen, they needed all of their most experienced, and talented players working and training hard, Sugawara Koushi included.

Which was why Shouyou ended up at Ami-san’s clinic alone, bloated yet equally as bright and smiley.

At Koushi’s question, Shouyou scrunched up his nose as he recollected what Ami-san had said, before quickly babbling them out as soon as they appeared at the forefront of his mind, desperate to get them out lest he forget.

“Everything is fine, and everyone is doing great! Ami-san checked my vitals, blood pressure, and double checked with me on my diet and my vitamins, and it was all good! She also checked the babies, and they are doing great!" Shouyou hesitated for a moment here, and both Koushi and Daichi immediately shared a look of confusion before scrutinizing the tiny, cowering yet, at the same time, confused redhead. “Um, well, Ami-san said that the babies are growing at a much faster pace than most babies, because apparently they’re slightly bigger than what most babies look like at Week 20,” Shouyou paused at this, shyly peaking over the lock of red curls hanging above his eyes as he watched both Daichi and Koushi process the information, not knowing how they’d react to it.

Shouyou watched as the confusion drained away from their faces, only to be replaced by surprise and, of course, genuine worry and concern. “But she said that just because it’s unusual doesn’t mean that it’s abnormal,” Shouyou rushed to explain, because _it was_ , just because it was unusual for babies to be much larger than expected doesn’t mean that it was abnormal or remotely _dangerous_. “She said the babies are healthy, and that they’re strong, and she told me that there was nothing to worry about!”

Alert, alarmed honey brown flickered between the other two gazes, both identical in terms of the feelings expressed within those brown orbs.

Koushi broke his mask of worry and surprise first; ash grey brows furrowing as his gaze morphed into one of determination. “Okay, if that’s what she said, then I believe you,” Koushi uttered, “however, I would still like to call her myself, so if you’d pl—”

A loud, blaring ring echoed about the apartment, startling its three occupants from their reserved conversation.

Shouyou quickly scrambled towards the couch, where his phone lay, enthusiastically vibrating against the soft throw pillows as it continued its awful, obnoxiously loud duck quacking. In his haste to get the phone to _quiet down_ (because he had unknowingly increased the ringer volume to its _maximum_ earlier on that day, God knows why), Shouyou quickly swiped his thumb across the screen without checking the caller ID.

“Hello?”

“Ah! Shouyou! How are you? I’ve missed you!” Shouyou immediately froze, posture going rigid as he gripped his phone tight in his hand, shakily keeping his mobile phone pressed against his ear. Wide-eyed, and mouth going dry and pasty, Shouyou couldn’t help the rising panic, fear, and utter _dread_ within him, along with the rising bile that he could feel building up at the back of his throat, bitter and sudden.

“Kaa-san?”

Shouyou didn’t register the pricks digging into the back of his eyes, didn’t register the blurring of his vision, didn’t register the shaking of his body, the trembling of his lips, and the closing of his throat.

He didn’t even register Daichi’s concerned call of his name, didn’t even register Koushi’s calloused, rough hands resting against his shoulder, squeezing gently, and he didn’t even register the fact that both of his seniors had quietly and cautiously made his way to his side.

He couldn’t.

The only thing he could register was the sound of his mother’s voice.

The voice belonging to the one woman from whom Shouyou was keeping the _biggest_ secret imaginable from.

The voice belonging to the one woman, whose unwavering trust Shouyou was probably going to lose, had _already lost_ , because he had been _lying_ to her for nearly five months coming.

The voice belonging to the one woman whom Shouyou loved dearly, and had _missed so much_.

Shouyou was _so_ caught up in this maelstrom of emotions; misery, guilt, love, desperation, and hurt, that he didn’t even register the sob escaping his lips as he truly began to crumble, throat shutting tight as his knees buckled from under him.

“Shouyou? What’s wrong, sweetheart?”

 Registering the genuine concern and love lacing each and every word that left his mother’s lips and graced his ears, Shouyou was once again reminded, harshly and painfully, just _how much_ he had missed her.

She had been Shouyou’s one and only constant in his past 17 years of his life, she had always been there for him, had always been present at every significant event that Shouyou experienced and attended, had always been Shouyou’s listening ear and shoulder to lean on, and had been Shouyou’s strongest, biggest pillar.

…And he was going to disappoint her.

A wretched sob tore its way out from Shouyou’s throat as _everything_ came crashing down at once; the longing he had felt for his mother’s touch, for his mother’s presence, for his mother’s love, in the past three months, as well as the fear, dread, and absolute guilt that he was feeling because _I’m keeping a life-changing secret from her she’s going to be so disappointed in me_ _I’m so sorry_.

“Shouyou? Are you okay?”

A loud, heart-wrenching cry left Shouyou’s lips, echoing about the room and blaring into the receiver, piercingly loud, because _no, I’m not okay, I’m lying to you and I miss you and I love you but I don’t think you’ll love me anymore after this and I don’t know what to do_.

Subconsciously, Shouyou knew that he would have to tell her eventually, or else she would have found out on her own; he wasn’t able to escape from the reality that sooner or later, his mother will know about his pregnancy.

…But he was _terrified._ Because this was _pregnancy_ that they’re talking about, and what if his mother leaves him alone to fend for himself once she finds out, what if his mother _won’t love him_ _anym—_

“Shouyou, if there’s anything wrong, you know you can always tell me and talk to me, right? I’ll always be here, no matter what happens, you know?”

It was the tone of voice that his mother had used that undid him.

It was the honest, sincere declaration of acceptance underlying those words, that tone, that undid him.

It was the reassurance, the genuine concern and _love_ lacing those words that undid him.

And all of Shouyou’s resolve immediately flew out the window; thoughts of keeping this pregnancy a secret from his mother for a moment longer, and thoughts of the consequences that his words may result in, everything was thrown back into the deep, dark recesses of his mind.

Because the only thing he knew then, was that his mother would _always_ be there, as his constant.

And Shouyou couldn’t have helped it, in any way whatsoever, what he said next.

“I’m pregnant, Kaa-san.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HANA KNOWS.  
> HANA KNOWS.  
> HANA KNOWS.
> 
> And brace yourselves, sweethearts, because the next few chapters are gonna be interesting~ 
> 
> Leave a comment or a kudos because gurl those make my day.
> 
> HMU on tumblr y'all, @byakusharinganwrites (because how do you link shit here)


	6. Anxiety

**Week 22**

“You sure you’re going to be fine?” Daichi gripped the steering wheel of his car a little tight, unknowingly clenching hard enough for his knuckles to go white. His torso was turned completely to face his companion seated diminutively on the passenger seat, seemingly being swallowed by the plush leather, minus the bloated belly, of course. 

“Yes, I’m going to be fine. You were there when I was on the phone, after all,” Shouyou said, voice low and under his breath, not wanting to ruin the serenity and intimacy of the moment. Shouyou slowly turned his body to face his senior, small hands sliding from the top of his large belly to the side, where his seatbelt buckle laid. 

Daichi only bent his head and sighed, because he knew what a worrywart he was being, and his worry was rather baseless, seeing as how he  _ had _ been there when Shouyou was on the phone with his mother just two weeks ago. 

But he couldn’t help worrying, he couldn’t help the growing concern and caution he was experiencing and taking, because he  _ really _ was worried, he  _ really _ was concerned and he was  **_really_ ** was, if he were to be completely honest with himself,  _ scared _ of what will actually happen when Shouyou finally met his mother after confessing that he was indeed pregnant when he hadn’t seen her in three solid months. 

Hanan’s reaction to Shouyou’s confession of him being pregnant was equally as shocking as it was not, because she had simply taken it in stride and had managed to console the seemingly inconsolable mess of an anxious, desperate, longing wreck that was Shouyou two weeks ago. 

She had initially been shocked, in complete and utter disbelief, but the thought of Shouyou playing a prank on her were immediately wiped away and thrown out as soon as she heard the underlying devastation, hopelessness, and  _ guilt _ that laced each and every heaving, wrecking sob that tore through her son’s lips. 

She had never heard her son cry that hard, never heard her son cry that much, ever before. Not since he had lost his first and last Volleyball match in Middle School, not since he had lost in the Interhigh Tournament back when he was a First Year in Karasuno, and  _ especially  _ not since he didn’t get scouted.

Hanan immediately realized that her son wasn’t lying, that her son wasn’t pulling her leg. 

Hanan immediately realized that Shouyou was in fact, telling the truth, and was actually  _ pregnant _ . 

The pure, unadulterated pain, misery, hopelessness, and utter  _ guilt _ that spilt along with each cry broke her heart, and she had quickly realized that Shouyou was very much alone in his pregnancy. 

Hanan had known about Shouyou and Tobio’s relationship, simply because Shouyou was pretty much an open book when it came to his feelings, what with him wearing his heart on his sleeve and facial expressions reflecting whatever it was that he was feeling inside. Hanan had known the moment her son had started to develop romantic feelings for someone, and had also known when those feelings were returned and her son was officially in a relationship. 

However, Hanan had also known just how in love her son was, and how  _ happy _ he was. Hanan could not recall when she had seen her son be that happy before he had gotten into a relationship with a certain Kageyama Tobio. 

…And she had been the first person to know when they had their fights, when their relationship was rocky, and when they had officially broken up. 

It was with Tobio did Shouyou show a side to him that Hanan had never really known existed. As soon as the raven had entered her son’s life, Hanan was shown sides to Shouyou that she herself had never known existed; Tobio brought out all sorts of extreme emotions from her son; form elation, pure, unadulterated ecstasy, to pure, solid frustration and pain, to complete devastation, depression, and everything else.

Tobio brought out both the  _ best _ and the  _ worst _ in her son, but Hanan knew better than to step in and try to change things; even though she couldn’t help but want to throttle Tobio whenever her son came back home, eyes red-rimmed and puffy, small button nose sniffling and bottom lip trapped between his teeth, trembling with the effort to not sob…

…Because even though Shouyou came back home hurt sometimes, she knew that in the end, Tobio was what’s best for Shouyou.

Sure, his and Tobio’s relationship had its own fair share of rocky roads and emotional tidal waves, but from what Shouyou would tell her whenever they fought, whenever Shouyou came to her for advice or a shoulder and a listening ear, frustrated to his wits’ end, Tobio only did what he did because he  _ knew _ that Shouyou could do better, he  _ knew _ that Shouyou could become stronger, and he  _ wanted _ , more than anything, for Shouyou to  _ grow, _ to  _ become  _ stronger, to  _ be _ better, because Kageyama Tobio  _ believed _ that Hinata Shouyou could be  _ better  _ and  _ better _ ,  _ stronger _ and  _ stronger _ .

Tobio was pushing Shouyou so hard, to the point where they even  _ fight _ about it, because  _ Tobio knew Shouyou was capable of so much more, _ and Tobio wanted Shouyou to grow to his capacity, because Tobio believed that Shouyou was capable of  _ so much more _ . 

And this case applied when Shouyou pushed Tobio too, because  _ Shouyou knew that Tobio was capable of so much more _ too. 

And it was always on that note that their conversations ended (technically Shouyou ranting about his amazing-yet-sometimes-a-dickwad of a boyfriend whenever they fought  _ yet again _ about volleyball and Hanan simply listening), Hanan reminding Shouyou about why  _ he _ sometimes gets antsy over Tobio when it comes to volleyball, to which Shouyou  _ always _ replies with “Because he’s amazing, but he  _ can be so much better _ !”.

At her son’s reply, Hanan will simply give Shouyou a pointed look, and watch as the cogs in her son’s head slowly turn and fit together, before placing the finishing touch.

“Tobio knows that you’re amazing, but he also knows that  _ you _ can be so much better.”

The tirade of emotions that flash across Shouyou’s face every single time she lands that last touch will never not be amusing to Hanan; but the one that calls at her for nothing but pure affection and endearment is the one that Shouyou’s comical expressions always land last on; one of nothing but pure embarrassment but at the same time gratitude and thankfulness for his mother, but also…

…Pure, innocent, and  _ sweet _ love and understanding for a certain Kageyama Tobio.

“…Thanks, mom,” Shouyou would whisper, voice laden with gratitude and love for Hanan. Hanan would simply smile back before accepting the tight, warm hug that Shouyou never fails to give, and watch him as he clambers back to his room. 

It was always times like this, times when Hanan was finally alone in the kitchen after talking to Shouyou whenever he came to her about his own relationship’s issues and looking for advice (or maybe someone to rant to), did Hanan’s thoughts and feelings about her Shouyou’s and Tobio’s relationship confirmed themselves yet again. 

Tobio may not be perfect, but he  _ is  _ perfect for her son. 

And it was with these feelings, this acknowledgment, did Hanan watch as Shouyou’s and Tobio’s relationship grew, progressed, and  _ flourished _ . She watched, eyes soft and gaze admiring, as her son continued to grow, continued to be better, with the best person she could have ever hoped for by his side and watching over him. 

She watched as they conquered the Inter-high Spring Tournament.

She watched as they fought, relentless, driven and  _ hungry _ , through Nationals. 

She watched as they lost. 

…But she also watched as  _ they _ became  _ Shouyou _ and  _ Tobio _ .

It had been painful for Hanan, because the Shouyou that she was once accustomed to; the ever-glowing, ever- _ growing _ , bright, sunny-smiled, happiness-radiating pride and joy of hers, had completely dimmed down to levels unbelievable the days following her son’s last volleyball match.

The match where  _ he _ , Shouyou, didn’t get scouted.

…But Tobio did.

…The days following the match had been rough; Shouyou’s depression had radiated and had left its mark on all corners of the Hinata household as soon as he stepped through the doors, smile absent and eyes dimmed and red-rimmed. 

Hanan could see how much Shouyou had  _ tried _ , though; how much he had tried to hide his hurt, hide his pain and sorrow and complete and utter  _ heartbreak _ . She could see how much effort he was putting into making sure that his mother and sister weren’t affected by his considerably mellower mood, it shone through his tight grins and the taut corners of his eyes. 

Needless to say, her son’s efforts were rendered futile. 

Hanan had been living with Shouyou for the entire time he was alive; she had been there through every single event, every single experience, and every single emotion. She had been there whenever Shouyou had skinned his knees, had been there when he was on the verge of tears, and had  _ always _ been there when her son needed someone to talk to and a shoulder to cry on. 

And if you’ve been with someone for that long, every mask or façade would never work, no matter how hard you try and fake it.

And it was on that note, that Hanan had decided to talk to her son once again, because she could clearly see that he was hurting, could clearly see how hard he was trying to not let his own set of problems and insecurities, own set of depression and pain, filter through and stain the lively, lovely household that is the Hinata’s.

Shouyou just didn’t want his mother and sister to know.

And it had pained Hanan back then, when she had realized exactly why Shouyou had kept his pain and hurt to himself, never letting anyone else in to help or be there for him. It had hurt Hanan, herself, too, because for Shouyou to be keeping such things to himself, to be bearing pain so great, to the point which it has caused him to close in on himself and  _ wither _ from the bright sunflower he once was… 

…It was hard for a mother. 

When Hanan had decided to knock on her son’s door that one night, when she heard the faint sounds of muffled sniffling and whimpers coming from the crumpled mess of sheets and pillows that was once a pristine, clean bed, when she had padded forward towards her hurting son, it was all because Hanan couldn’t bear to see her son like that anymore.

Hanan couldn’t bear to wake up and be faced with the dull, empty shell that was once bursting with vibrant energy and smiles and  _ sunshine _ that was her son every morning. Hanan couldn’t bear to watch as her son continued forcing smiles, continued forcing laughter, and continued forcing to be happy when he  _ very clearly was not _ . 

Hanan couldn’t bear seeing the pain that was screaming from eyes that matched her own.

And when she finally had her son in her arms, the once vibrant child nothing but a sobbing, heaving mess of tears and whimpers and stuttered explanations broken by wrecking cries that tugged at her heart strings, Hanan couldn’t have stopped her own set of tears from escaping down her eyelids even if she had tried.

Knowing that your child was hurting, that your child was in pain was one thing.

But being handed it, their emotions, their pain, and their hurt, all at once…

…It  _ pained _ her. 

Hanan had never wanted Shouyou to ever be hurt, had never wanted Shouyou to so much as shed a tear because of someone else. She never wanted her child to be hurt by the hands and deeds of others. Shouyou was too pure, too good, and too innocent for someone else to have that right over him like that; for someone else to have the power to inflict emotional/physical or mental pain on her son. 

Shouyou was sunshine incarnate, and to have someone else be close enough, to be strong enough, to make that sunshine disintegrate, to make that sunshine completely fade away, to nothing but a sliver of what it was once before… It got Hanan  _ furious _ . 

Which was why, halfway through Shouyou’s explanation, when he had finally let it slip that he _ wasn’t scouted, but Tobio was _ , Hanan couldn’t help but pull and hug her son tighter to her chest, in a vain attempt to mask her fury because Hanan had absolutely wanted to  _ strangle _ those scouters for not being able to see the brilliance that was her son on the court. 

However, before her thoughts were allowed to manifest and develop into more vicious and violent ones, the feel of Shouyou’s warm, wet tears against her collarbone and his firm grip on her sleep shirt immediately broke her out from her thoughts. 

Because she was reminded yet again of how Shouyou had kept all these things to himself; all this hurt, disappointment, and pain, all on his own two shoulders for  _ days _ , in a vain attempt at making sure that his mother doesn’t find out, that Hanan doesn’t worry. 

And that was what had hurt that most, in Hanan’s opinion. 

Because she was confronted with the fact that Shouyou had  _ kept  _ something from her; regardless of his reasons of “protecting” her or ensuring that she “doesn’t worry”, Hanan still couldn’t help the firm tug at her heart from the realization that her son had willingly kept such pain to himself because he  _ didn’t trust his mother enough _ to let her know that he was in pain.

…And that hurt even more. 

Once Shouyou was done with his explanation, Hanan had gently tugged his head away from the crook of her neck, before gently cupping his cheeks and wiping away the last remnants of his tears and pressing a light kiss to his forehead. 

The two of them had talked after that, and Hanan had simultaneously drilled it into her son (in a way that was friendly and easy on emotionally-wrung out and mentally-exhausted people, of course), that Shouyou could tell her  _ anything _ and  _ everything _ , no matter what the context of his feelings or emotions is. 

That conversation had resulted in a new bout of tears, and a couple more rounds of Hanan swiping her thumbs under her son’s eyes again, but Hanan had left Shouyou to go to sleep with a smile on his face and the assurance that his mother will always be there for him if he ever needs her, no matter when, how, or why. 

And that was more than enough to heal Hanan;s hurt at being kept in the dark and not trusted just a couple of minutes before, and she too had went to sleep with her own smile and light heart.

If Hanan had been asked if she could have that night taken away from her if she could, Hanan would simply smile and politely decline. 

…Because ultimately it was that night which had brought both her and her son closer together; and it was the one which had reiterated and solidified the fact that Hanan would and will  _ always _ be there for Shouyou, no matter the what, the how, and the why. 

…And that was why, when Hanan had opened the door to the Hinata household and was greeted with none other than her son sporting a heavily pregnant belly, Hanan could only wrap her arms around him and embrace him in a tight, warm, and reassuring hug. 

“Okaeri nasai, Shouyou,” Hanan whispered as the first few tears made their appearance and slid down her face, wetting the untamable fiery mess that was her son’s hair. 

Not able to help his own fair share of tears from slipping down his cheeks, Shouyou immediately brought his arms up to wrap around the thin frame of his mother, returning the hug with equal gratitude, relief, and  _ love _ . 

“…Tadaima.”

* * *

**Week 24**

“Kaa-san, can we get seconds?” Shouyou asked through a mouthful of rice, voice muffled but Hanan didn’t have to meet her son’s gaze to know that he was pouting. 

Hanan glanced back from her own spoonful of food to her son’s plate, eyes widening in slight surprise at the few, messily sprinkled grains of rice dotting the white ceramic. 

“You’re done already?” Hanan couldn’t help the slight quirk of her lips as her eyebrows lifted just a little into her forehead, a sheer sheen of amusement glazing her own brown orbs. 

At her statement (it wasn’t even a  _ question _ , if the thinly-veiled glee lacing his mother’s overly-surprised tone of voice was any indication), Shouyou’s eyebrows drew closer together in a petulant frown, in a vain attempt at hiding his growing embarrassed annoyance.

“Your grandchildren are hungry, Kaa-san!” Shouyou huffed, hastily crossing his arms over one another and resting them against his protruding belly. “It’s not my fault I’m eating for three.” 

Hanan couldn’t help the light tinkle of laughter that escaped her lips, eyes crinkling up in amusement at the corners as she gazed fondly back at her child-at-heart son. The same son who, no matter his age, would always never fail to resort to pouting and petulance when he was being teased and poked at, with playful intentions, of course.

Hanan couldn’t help the reflexive action of her immediately pinching and twisting her son’s ear; it was nearly instinctual to yank on Shouyou’s ear whenever he started to pout because he was embarrassed and/or annoyed at something or someone, as this was the case for so many years. 

The sudden wave of nostalgia that washed over Hanan as she watched her son screech in shock and pain at his ear being pulled and twisted playfully harshly, caused the ends of her lips to tilt up ever so softly. Memory after memory of this exact same scenario flashed in her mind, with a Shouyou of varying sizes and ages, and Hanan couldn’t help the quiet sigh that escaped her as the realization that  _ this _ ; her relationship with her son, will  _ never change _ . 

Her relationship with Shouyou will never break; there may be a few cracks that threaten to split the bridge that was their solid relationship of trust, support, and love, but it will  _ never break _ .

And as Hanan drew back her arm before flashing a cheeky grin at the annoyed and petulant gaze that her son threw her, Hanan couldn’t help the thought of  _ I will always be here for him _ from flashing through her mind once again.

* * *

As the two of them wrapped up their meal, Hanan couldn’t help but notice just how much her son was beginning to eat, and not to mention how large his belly had gotten. Given that Hanan herself had never had twins before (her own children was a testament of that), and neither had she really known anyone who had twins before, the state which her son and his uterus was currently in was, for the lack of a better term, surprising.

Hanan only knows what a single-baby pregnancy looks like, and of course, if she were to compare her own pregnancy tummy when she was pregnant with her Natsu at Week 24, with her son’s current state and size of pregnancy, it shouldn’t be such a surprise and is in fact, very much expected that he would  _ at least _ be nearly twice her size. 

Shouyou was carrying twins, after all. 

…But even with that expected outcome, Hanan still couldn’t shrug off the particular twinge of uncertainty as well as the underlying worry when she glanced back and scrutinized the size of her son’s belly. 

It seemed to Hanan that the babies (her _future grandchildren_ , oh my god), were… getting _really_ _big_. 

It may have just been her motherly nature peeking through, what with the sudden news of her son’s pregnancy and how he was basically six months along already, added onto the fact that she hadn’t seen him in nearly five and a half months, during which he was (technically) alone the entire time. It may also be the fact that her son’s frame was impossibly small (and this wasn’t a surprise, seeing as how he  _ had _ taken after his mother, after all), hence when put into perspective, the two babies that Shouyou was currently carrying on his front  _ would _ seem to be too big, and maybe even  _ too much _ for the tiny redhead. 

… _ But still _ .

Maybe it was because she was being overly protective, and the mother hen that had resided in her all this time had finally found the perfect stage and situation to make its grand appearance once again, or maybe it  _ was _ because her son was very small in build, but even this rationalizations couldn’t make the gnawing feeling in her gut recede, the one screaming at the top of its lungs that  _ something is pretty wrong _ . 

And as they step into Ami’s office, the way Ami had widened her eyes slightly, added onto the fact that her eyebrows rose just the slightest bit as soon as she caught sight of Shouyou’s belly, did nothing to help abate the progressive anxiety and worry that had taken residence in her gut.

“Ohayou, Ami-san!” Shouyou chirped, ever so oblivious to the sudden spike in tension in the room. 

Shouyou’s jubilant cry seemed to shake Ami out of her shocked daze, if the rapid blinking of her eyes and the slight shake of her head said so. However, slight traces of confusion and a twinge of worry could still be seen swimming in her usually bright orbs, dimming the bright light and shadowing the joy that her patients were accustomed to. 

Not that Shouyou noticed, of course. 

Ami’s gaze drifted from Shouyou’s swelling belly up towards his face, catching sight of his happy, excited grin before meeting his equally as bright eyes.

Shouyou’s energy was very much contagious as it was attractive; it was something that Ami had learnt over the past few months and the respective appointments she had with her youngest client. Which was why she wasn’t at all surprised, and yet simultaneously extremely grateful, when she could feel her shoulders loosening up and her facial muscles relax, her body draining itself of the tension that had crawled up and seemingly firmly latched itself onto every part of her being as soon as Shouyou had stepped into the office. 

With the tension gone and her body much more lax, Ami could feel the smile easily yielding itself and blossoming on her face, reciprocating the pleasantries her patient gave her. 

“Ohayou, Shouyou-chan!” Ami replied, voice soft and welcoming, before noticing the petite, brunette lady standing right next to her patient. “Oh! Ohayou…?”

Shouyou’s bright smile immediately slipped off of his lips, only for his face to be overtaken by a flaming red, a shade not too far off from the bright orange that was his hair. He quickly took to grabbing the lady’s hand, seemingly growing more embarrassed as soon as he noticed the slight tilt of the lady’s lips as well as the teasing glint in her eyes, before stuttering out the introduction. 

“Ah, this is my mom!” Shouyou introduced, tone very much embarrassed but Ami could catch the underlying slight trace of joy. 

Ami glanced back up to meet the honey brown eyes of the lady, noticing her features and Ami couldn't help but realise that both Mother and Son looked exactly alike; safe the hair, of course. Asides from the clear differences between the two’s hair colour and texture (with Shouyou’s being a curly, fluffy mop of bright orange, and her’s being sleek, straight brown hair trimmed into a neat bob), every other facial feature was very much the same. The two had the same eye shape and colour; round, big, and coloured a very unique shade of bright honey-brown. The shape of their noses was identical as well; a petite, button nose that sloped gently down the bridge only to come to a neat, clean, round stop at the tip. The pair also had the same pair of lips; small, full lips that pursed a delicate cupid’s bow. 

Ami watched as the lady’s eyes drifted from her son’s to her own, grasping Ami’s extended hand and covering the back of the doctor’s hand with her own free one, before giving a firm shake and introducing herself. 

“Hinata Hanan,” the lady introduced, flashing a small, friendly smile at the doctor before pulling her hands away. 

Ami smiled back before she too, pulled away from the handshake and spoke. “If you’re here today, then I’m guessing that Shouyou-chan has told you everything about his pregnancy and his visits already, hasn’t he?”

Ami took note of the teasing glint that flashed brightly in Hanan’s honey-brown orbs before Shouyou did, and she couldn't help the bright chortle of laughter that escaped her throat and lips as soon as the words left Hanan’s lips. 

“I would think so, but knowing my Son, he probably forgot some of the more important bits.” 

Ami couldn't help the smile that continued to tug on the corners of her lips as she heard Shouyou’s indignant and vehement squawks of protests and cries as she directed them to her desk. 

* * *

Shouyou couldn’t help the slight hiss that pushed its way past his gritted teeth as soon as Ami dolloped a generous amount of the cool, cold gel onto his protruding belly. He also couldn't help the way his fingers tightened ever so briefly over his mother’s equally as small fingers.

Hanan didn’t at all try to quell the smile that was threatening to blossom itself on her round face. Shouyou’s reaction to the cold ultrasound jelly touching his skin and the immediate stinging of his sensitive nerves brought back memories of her own visits to the gynaecologists back when she was carrying her own two children. 

Hanan remembered the times back when she was in her doctor’s clinic and getting ready for her first ultrasound; she had been five months along into her pregnancy with Shouyou, her son constantly moving about and making quite the ruckus for a babe who was just barely halfway through the development period. 

The entire time that Hanan had been pregnant with Shouyou was nothing short of a blessing, if one were to ask Hanan. Sure, her firstborn had been a little troublesome, what with his constant turning, twisting, and tumbling about in her womb (both Hanan  _ and _ her husband had stayed up countless of nights because Shouyou had absolutely  _ refused _ to settle down and let his mother sleep, seemingly adamant on keeping her awake basically the  _ entire nine months _ he was inside of her). Also, not forgetting the constant cravings for food, and how Hanan could never seem to  _ stop _ eating unless she was  _ somewhat _ forcefully removed from the dining table by her husband. 

And don’t get her started on the foot cramps, the very much expected weight gain, and the mood swings. 

…looking back on it now, Hanan finds that labelling her pregnancy with Shouyou a “blessing” might seem comical and equally as baffling. 

But the day she had went into her gynaecologist’s office, small hand clasped onto her husband’s larger one, his calloused fingers rubbing small, soothing circles onto the back of his wife’s hand, as her doctor proceeded to move the wand about her jelly-coated belly, her eyes focused on nothing but the fuzzy, grey-scale screen just a few feet away from where she lay…

…Hanan would never be able to forget the first time she saw her precious son. 

He had been  _ tiny _ , even for a five month old developing fetus; tiny toes wiggling atop tiny feet, tiny fingers grasping at nothing, tiny hands clenching and unclenching as Hanan continued to watch, tiny torso curled inwards, seemingly shying away from the view of the camera…

…and Hanan couldn’t recall a time where her heart had felt as full as it did then; brimming and nearly bursting with the sudden surge of emotion that had invaded her every cell as soon as she laid eyes on her first ever child. 

Well, maybe the day her now-husband-then-boyfriend had proposed, and also the day of their wedding, but that’s beside the point. 

Hanan hadn’t even noticed that she had started crying, but the calloused tip of her husband’s thumb swiping under her eyes proved otherwise. 

She glanced back up at her husband, her eyes shiny and wet with tears, a fresh, new batch threatening to spill over her already damp lashes, and was met with equally as wet green. 

Hanan took note of the fact that her husband’s thumb was still surreptitiously swiping under her lips, but was slowly progressing onto wiping the round apples of her cheeks as his palm proceeded to cradle her cheek, pressure light and gentle. 

Her gaze met his once again, but now noticing the bright, dense swirls of various emotions swimming about in his green orbs; excitement, gratitude, adoration, _ love _ . 

And Hanan couldn’t help the tears that had forced their way past her lids, streaming over her cheeks as she grinned brightly up at her husband, and receiving a gentle, small smile from him in return. 

And Hanan remembered having the fleeting thought of  _ if i’m going through this, I’m glad that it is with you. _

…Which was why, as she sat in her son’s gynaecologist’s clinic, his hand clasped in hers in anxiousness, Hanan couldn’t help the internal promise that she had made all those years ago from resurfacing; that  _ she will always be there for him, no matter what happens _ . 

And as Shouyou laid down, eyes transfixed on the screen of the ultrasound machine monitor, pupils wide in amazement and adoration, Hanan couldn’t help the strong tidal wave of emotions from filling her up, nearly tipping over the surface because  _ my son is  _ **_strong_ ** _.  _

Shouyou had been  _ alone _ in the pregnancy; had been alone since both him and Tobio had parted ways six months ago, had been alone when he found out about his current state of pregnancy, had been alone in an entirely new neighborhood…

…Shouyou had been alone ever since he started this new chapter of both his and his children's’ lives.

And that’s why, with the promise that she had made to herself all those years ago at the forefront if her mind, Hanan had gripped the tiny hand in hers even tighter; fingers clasping over her son’s as she thought about how she would  _ never  _ let him face the rest of the journey alone, and that  _ if he is going through this, I’m glad to be able to be with him _ .

…because Shouyou was no longer alone in the pregnancy. Because he no longer had to face the journey alone. Because Shouyou finally has got someone to walk the rest of the way with. 

Because Shouyou finally has and had always had someone by his side. 

And as Hanan glanced back up to meet her son’s own gaze, the same emotions of gratitude, amazement, and  _ love  _ reflected back from Shouyou’s eyes, she couldn’t help but be reminded of the exact same scenario all those years ago, when she was in her own doctor’s office, in Shouyou’s position. 

Hanan couldn’t have stopped the gentle, reassuring smile from blossoming on her face even if she had tried. 

* * *

**PAGE BREAK**

* * *

As Ami continued to move the wand about the seemingly  _ too big _ belly of her son, Hanan couldn’t help but notice how with each slight flick of her wrist about the wand, Ami’s gaze (which was directed at the ultrasound machine monitor) was progressively getting more focused, as did the furrow between her eyebrows progressively grew deeper.

Hanan felt the heavy sense of trepidation and anxiousness that had been with her, ever since she had noticed the state of Shouyou’s pregnancy bump, grew even bigger, and right now it was sitting heavy in her stomach, not unlike that of a block of lead. The mother watched as the doctor continued to furrow her brows, deep in thought as she processed what was going on in the screen monitor, and glancing back down to her patient’s stomach every few seconds. 

The block of lead sitting heavy in her system was growing, along with the sudden sense of dread and worry, because she couldn’t help but feel that her hunch had been right along, that  _ something was  _ definitely  _ wrong _ , because even though Shouyou was very much pregnant with two little, growing children (hence, a  _ much _ larger pregnant belly was to be expected), Shouyou’s belly, at its current state, seemed even  _ too big _ for someone who was carrying twins and was at their 24th Week mark. 

Maybe it might have been because Shouyou was just plain  _ tiny _ , hence why his current state of pregnant-belly size just  _ seemed _ too big, because it was highly possible that it was just proportion that was messing with her mind and Hanan, ever since she had acknowledged that Shouyou’s belly appeared to be too big for him to be carrying about for only 24 weeks, had accepted her own self-deduced rational reasoning. 

... but that was back when Hanan was the  _ only  _ person she herself knew of that noticed that her son’s belly had appeared to be too large. 

Right now, as Hanan sat in doctor Ami’s office, her son’s small hand clasped in hers, she watched in relunctant realisation that  _ maybe I was wrong _ ,  _ maybe something really is wrong _ , as Ami’s focused, searching gaze, hooded beneath deeply furrowed brows, continued its flickering; constantly switching between focusing on the screen and on her son’s pregnant belly. Also, with how closely Hanan was studying the doctor’s features, Ami’s slight downturn of her lips hadn’t escaped the worried mother, and this realisation had only further served to fuel Hanan’s current state of anxiousness.

“Shouyou-chan?” Ami’s quiet, subdued voice broke through the recesses of Hanan’s anxiety-induced mind, breaking her out of her reverie. Hanan immediately focused her gaze back on the doctor’s face, watching as Ami continued to ponder; thinking over her next few words as she focused in on the mother and son pair. 

Shouyou, entirely oblivious to the tiny changes in both his doctor’s and his mother’s demeanour, reluctantly turned away from the monitor screen. However, it was clear that even though Shouyou had turned to face his gynaecologist, his focus was still pretty much on the two developing, fidgeting babies that were on the black-and-white screen.

“Yeah?” Shouyou whispered, still somewhat distracted by his two children fumbling about on the screen, “What’s up?”

Ami sighed, wanting desperately to smile at Shouyou’s characteristic behaviour (the soon to be parent sure was easily distracted by anything and everything around him that was mildly interesting or fascinating; not that Ami could blame him, it  _ was _ his own children that were on the screen, after all). However, the seriousness of the situation and its potentially dangerous (for  _ both _ Shouyou  _ and _ the unborn children) consequences sat heavily in her stomach, and weighed heavily in the front recesses of her mind. 

Ami had had a feeling that this would have happened the last time Shouyou had visited; a month ago when he saw his children for the first time. The doctor had noticed it then too, but she hadn’t known that it would have gotten quite to this point, where it could be quite concerning and even worrisome. 

She had noticed how Shouyou’s pregnancy belly had gotten a tad too big the last time her youngest patient had paid a visit to her clinic; had noticed how even then, back when he was only five months along, how he already was experiencing difficulty in carrying his two unborn children around; the slight waddling, the heavy breathing, the seemingly excessive exhaustion levels he was facing that Ami  _ knew _ was unusual for someone who was only five months along, and was only barely halfway through their pregnancy.

And all these facts, added onto the knowledge (courtesy of Suga-chan), that Shouyou had seemingly boundless energy, and had been a very well known volleyball player for the past three years during his high school years, had her starting to worry. 

Ami may have not known Shouyou for long, but throughout her entire decades’ worth of experience with pregnant parents of different physical backgrounds, an  _ athlete _ who was at the top in terms of body condition (stamina, strength, agility), shouldn’t have been as  _ exhausted _ at five months as much as Shouyou was.

The last time Ami had checked with Shouyou, during the first ultrasound that the doctor had performed on Shouyou, she had noticed something peculiar about the size of the growing babies. It had only been the 20th week; Shouyou was only five months along, barely halfway through his pregnancy, and hence his belly should only have been the size of a two volleyballs (Suga-chan had suggested linking everything that she could to something volleyball-related; apparently it was the best way thus far to gain her youngest patient’s attention if he ever was distracted during his visits). However, back then, it had seemed slightly larger than the size of two volleyballs. 

And now, as she continued to navigate the wand about Shouyou’s belly, which was grown  _ much _ bigger than she had expected it to be at only the 24th Week, eyes focused entirely on the monitor screen, Ami couldn’t help acknowledge, reluctantly and with a hint of fear, that her hunch had been right all along. 

With evidence and proof right in front of her face, Ami realised that the babies that Shouyou was carrying were  _ far too big _ to only be at Week 24; they were growing at a much faster rate than Ami would have expected, nor would she have  _ wanted _ them to.

Whilst this alone may not be such a cause for worry, the fact that the babies were growing far too quickly and far too large for  _ Shouyou to be able to carry _ was. 

Hinata Shouyou was  _ petite _ ; and Ami would have argued her case if anyone defended against her statement that her youngest patient could be and very much  _ is _ the very definition of ‘petite’. Standing at a mere 164.7cm, and weighing just slightly below 50kg (based on the statistics that Suga-chan had provided when Shouyou was only a month along), not to mention just how skinny his limbs were (his limbs were defined and toned, but they were  _ not _ thick), it was clear that Shouyou was  _ small _ . 

And someone  _ so small _ would  _ definitely _ experience great difficulties if they were to become pregnant; top this off with the person being only the age of 18  _ and _ the babies already being far too big for their current state of development…

… not only was it a cause for extreme caution and care, but it was potentially  _ dangerous _ , for  _ both _ the expecting parent and the children. 

Ami had taken on similar patients as her current one before, and God knew just how worried she had been for the health of both her patients and their respective developing children; because she  _ knew _ just what  _ could actually happen _ , she  _ knew _ what such a scenario and situation  _ could cause  _ and  _ cost _ . 

Because if the parent is far too small, or if the babies are far too big, the parent wouldn’t be able to support their developing children for the remainder of the pregnancy; the stress, the strain, and sometimes even the  _ pain _ that the parent could be undergoing during the pregnancy could become  _ far too much  _ for their own body to handle. 

… And the body will hence naturally start to  _ reject _ the cause of stress, strain, and pain. 

One of the two patients that were in Ami’s care, and were in a situation similar to Shouyou, had lost her child to a miscarriage because of this; because the developing fetus was getting too big, and it was too much for her skinny, small body to handle. 

… Ami wouldn’t have even been able to explain the grief, sorrow, and unadulterated  _ pain _ that she had felt when her patient told her the news. 

Which was why, as Ami stood in the centre of her clinic, she couldn’t help the bright images of her crying patient, of her sunken stomach, where there was once life brimming, growing, radiating joy and hope and awaiting a bright future, creases of devastation, sorrow, and utter hopelessness carved into her skin.

Ami didn’t want that to happen again. 

And as she turned to face her  _ youngest _ and  _ tiniest _ patient thus far, one who was carrying not only one, but  _ two _ large,  _ growing _ babies in a womb that was  _ far too small _ and  _ incapable _ of withstanding such size and mass, Ami couldn’t unlace the fear from the words that left her lips. 

And she watched, slowly and steadily, as panic and worry and plain  _ fear _ started to swirl about and form in the eyes of both Shouyou and Hanan, emotions that were not unlike her own right then. 

“The babies are growing incredibly fast,” Ami had begun, and the doctor had immediately took notice of how the spark of anxiety that was present in Hanan’s eyes, which had been constantly flickering about ever since she had stepped into the office, instantly burst and enveloped those honey brown orbs. 

Hanan had noticed it too. 

Ami watched, steadying her breathing and doing her darndest to keep her anxiety-fuelled emotions under check and not overwhelm her, as the mother clutched her son’s even smaller hand tighter, closer to her. 

“... And because of that, your uterus is under a lot of pressure and stress, and this is affecting the rest of your body too.” Ami refocused her attention on the expecting parent, and noticed the glint of acknowledgment and realisation spark up in his eyes. However, as prominent as that glint was, it wasn’t enough to overpower the swirls of anxiety and worry, and of course, the most prominent one,  _ confusion _ , and Ami forced herself to continue.

“Shouyou,” and Ami knew  _ exactly _ when she had gotten his full attention and exactly how serious the situation was, and how serious the next few words leaving her lips would be, because he immediately zeroed in on her, gaze confused and  _ scared _ , but focused. 

“The babies are getting to be too big for your body to handle, and it’s causing a severe amount of stress at just the 20th Week,” Ami paused, allowing both Shouyou and Hanan to digest that bit of information before proceeding on. “... And, the stress is  _ only  _ going to continue to grow, even though your body is close to not being able to handle the babies even  _ now _ .”

Ami bit her lip, gripping her own hands for support, as she pushed the remaining part of her explanation/summary out. 

“... If the pregnancy continues on, not only will your life be in great danger, but,” Ami took in a breath, upper teeth digging deeply into the bright red flesh of her lower lip, “... you might lose the babies as well.” 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH SHIT OH NO NOT ONLY HAS SHOUYOU LOST HIS LIFE PARTNER BUT DUDE HE MIGHT LOSE HIS CHILDREN TOO HOLY SHIT.  
> I'm an asshole i know lmao I love seeing and making this ball of sunshine suffer lol (there are NOT enough fanfictions where Hinata is S-U-F-F-E-R-I-N-G, so imma contribute to that).
> 
> Remember when I said that I'll upload a chapter once every two weeks? Yeah, I'm an asshole.   
> BUT!!!! I'm finally back with a new chapter and I HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN ABOUT THIS FANFICTION GUYS I WANT IT TO SEE ITS END TOO!!!! 
> 
> I'm not so sure how often I'll be updating, but I do hope that I can give y'all (you guys so loyal omg I love y'all) bi-weekly updates!   
> Anyway, cheers to a New Year and I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH OMG!!!!   
> Please do share your thoughts and feelings on this chapter down in the comments below, and hmu on my Tumblr @ byakusharinganwrites!  
> ALSO!!!! SHOUTOUT TO @AAYUMU27 ON TUMBLR FOR BEING SUCH A PRECIOUS BEAN I LOVE YOU!!! :D


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